Cassana PoV [https://i.imgur.com/x4jgJFN.jpeg]

A high-pitched vibrating sound thrummed across the small office of Professor Arcturus. It caught Rei off-guard, as he sat on a wooden chair in one corner of the room. Standing in front of him, body leaning forward, was Mecze, one of the medical attendants of the Small Tower. She was in the process of stitching a wound on Rei’s arm that just reopened after the foreigner started walking around a few minutes earlier.

Rei politely ignored Mecze’s pleas for him to return to bed, so she brought her medical equipment with her and proceeded to do her job with a tempered annoyance. However, she almost slapped the foreigner’s head when he reacted to the sudden appearance of a green, floral drape floating about six feet above the floor.

“What is that?” he whispered to the attendant with his eyes open wide. She would have seen his mouth fully agape as well if not for the mask he insisted on wearing.

Mecze looked over her shoulder and dismissed the visage with a wave of her hand. “That’s just the Legate.”

The drape was billowing despite the lack of wind in the enclosed room. It was also covered with a sheen that seemed to glow like a full moon on a starless night. Rei shifted on his seat, trying to comprehend what was going on when the curtain moved and opened revealing Cassana standing behind it.

The spectacle made the foreigner’s eyes widen in amusement, while the sight of the redhead gave him a sense of relief. “Where—”

“Oh hey.” Cassana greeted him nonchalantly. Aside from the spray of blood on her clothing and her sunburnt skin, her face also betrayed a hefty burden overloading her mind.

“What happened to you?”

“This is nothing,” she shrugged, “you should see Ashvell.”

Just as Rei was about to ask a follow up question, the young driver stepped out behind Cassana, limping on his one leg and his chest heavy with exhaustion. Professor Arcturus was the last to exit the conjuration which fizzled away with the flick of his fingers.

“Ah, Myself am discerning that you are well enough,” the old wizard greeted Rei with glee. Meanwhile, Cassana hopped towards a couch and dropped her bum while Ashvell pulled a chair and sat beside her.

“He could have been miles better if he listens to me…” Mecze huffed while finishing up on the foreigner’s wound. “Now, can you go back to bed now,” she added.

Rei mumbled a response that nobody heard as Professor Arcturus’ voice thundered across the room. “Before you depart Mecze, dear, in addition kindly offer succor to our other two guests.” He pointed towards Cassana and Ashvell.

With a sigh, the attendant moved to the pair and looked over their wounds as well.

The redhead then proceeded to answer Rei’s questions about what they had been through. Eventually, she recounted everything that had happened since yesterday. The foreigner grew particularly worried after hearing about what happened to Minos.

Cassana tried her best to reassure him that they would find and rescue the young nobleman, as well as Robb. She continued with her retelling until the inevitable utterance of Captain Hrothgar’s name out of Frederick’s mouth.

“I should have known,” she spat, once she recited Frederick’s last words before he died. “I knew something was up with that guy.”

“Myself had known Steffan for years now, it is difficult for me to fathom that he is the person this Frederick was elucidating.”

“He said he saw him. He was sure of it,” Cassana replied.

“Was he?”

“Enough to be scared. It makes sense, he’s the most powerful person in this city.”

The Professor stood still as he brushed his palm over his gray beard.

“... and look at what happened to him.” Cassana raised her arms as she continued. “Soon as he opens his mouth he gets--” she couldn’t bear to repeat the circumstances that befell the poor fellow. She swallowed a big lump in her throat to keep herself from crying again.

“But what was it? The thing that killed him?” Rei asked.

“Some sort of projectile. Like a javelin or a harpoon. It was made of metal, sharp and around this long,” Cassana spread her palms apart, trying to gesture the length of the object that killed Frederick. It almost reached the breadth of the divan on which she was sitting.

“What kind of weapon could fire such a thing?” Rei followed up.

“A siege weapon,” Ashvell answered. “When my father told me stories of the war, he would tell me about this giant crossbow thing, almost the size of a house.”

“You mean a ballista?” replied the foreigner.

“Why would a ballista be in the middle of a city?” Cassana confronted Ashvell.

“I don’t know…” Ashvell answered.

“Did you see this siege weapon when we were chasing him?” asked Cassana.

“No… but that’s the only thing that makes sense…”

“Dude, you saw what he could do with his arm.”

“Yes, but I mean… I just assumed he was using magic. Or something.”

“This is the man on the roof?” Clarified Rei. “The one with a metal arm that could change shape?”

“Yes!” Cassana affirmed. “That’s alchemy, right? Professor?” She looked at her old teacher who had now sat comfortably behind his desk.

“Most certainly not,” Arcturus shook his head. “Your apt description provides an impression of a much simpler spell. Perhaps… transmugenesis?”

“Right!” Cassana agreed, “alchemy changes the composition of an object. He only changed its shape, but it was still made of metal.”

Professor Arcturus nodded at the redhead. For a brief moment she felt like a student again, and she was just rewarded with a meritorious mark for providing a correct explanation.

“But it is part of his body,” Cassana continued. “To be able to manipulate something like that, it would require a tremendous amount of energy.”

“You seem to fail to mention seeing this person’s Focusing stone…” the old wizard noted.

“Because I didn’t see one. He probably has it hidden somewhere. With that kind of magic, I wonder how big of a stone he needs to have?”

“Certainly not the standard dimensions.”

“Maybe it’s hidden inside his prosthetic arm.”

“Possible.”

Cassana nodded as she thanked Mecze for tending to her wounds, especially for applying a cooling balm over the blisters on her palms. She looked around the room; Professor Arcturus was writing something on a notebook on his table, Ashvell was sitting slumped on a chair, and Rei was opposite them, listening to her intently.

“We were this close to getting him into custody!” Cassana strained. “We could have been studying him now, and then interrogating him. We could have gotten everything we needed to rescue Robb.

“And we didn’t get any of those metal javelins he shot at us. Those would have been useful too,” Ashvell added.

“Fret not in that regard, my child,” said the professor. “Myself have charged two wizards to inspect the area where you fought. They should return with some evidence, expectantly, a piece or two of said projectiles.”

“They better be, because if not, the City Watch will get their hands on them first, and we’ll never see those again. Captain Hrothgar is gonna bury anything that will implicate him in this mess…” said Cassana.

“What will the captain do now?” Cassana didn’t notice Lira step into the office. She was standing by the door, hands on her waist. Her little companion, Scout, was sitting over her shoulder.

“Lira!” Cassana and Ashvell simultaneously called out the huntress’ name.

“I heard about what happened. Are you two alright?”

“We’re alive,” Cassana replied. She locked her eyes at the drow huntress as she settled into the room.

“What’s this about Hrothgar?” Lira repeated her question.

The redhead took a deep breath, bracing herself. “He’s the one behind it.”

“Behind what?”

“The missing children, the forged records, the attack at the docks, and Minos’ and Robb’s disappearance.”

Lira chuckled. She looked around the people in the room to see their faces and her grin turned to a scowl when she saw that no one was laughing with her. “You’re kidding.”

“The guy we were looking for, Frederick. He confessed before he died.”

“No way.” Lira shook her head. She stared at Ashvell waiting for his confirmation.

“We heard it,” said the young driver, nodding his head.

“Then you heard it wrong,” said Lira.

“We didn’t,” countered Cassana. “It’s the last thing he said before he was shot by, most likely, Hrothgar’s goon.”

“Then he lied to you,” added Lira.

“What reason would he lie to us?” asked Cassana.

“I can think of a dozen reasons,” impressed Lira. “Number one: to muddy the investigation…”

“No, Ashvell had a crossbow aimed at his head. He didn’t lie…”

“Number two: to tell you wanted to hear and get you off his back.”

“That’s not—” Cassana sighed. She was too exhausted to get riled up. “Look, you weren’t there…”

“That’s the problem, I wasn’t.” Lira walked around the room and found her own seat.

“You know why we had to split…” Cassana raised her arms in surrender. “Why aren’t you buying this?”

Lira shrugged. “Because I know Steffan, he isn’t capable of doing what you’re accusing him of.”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“How much do you trust this guy?” Cassana scoffed.

“I trust that he is a decent person. I bust his balls a lot, and I’ve always given him a hard time when we were young, but that man is solid. He’s as straight as an arrow.”

“Maybe before, but people change. You said it yourself; you haven’t seen him in a long time.”

“Not this man. Hey, Mr. Legate,” Lira called out to Professor Arcturus. He stopped what he was doing over his desk and raised his head towards the huntress. “Back me up here, come on. Tell your student how wrong she is.”

“He can’t help you with that,” Cassana blurted out. “Professor Arcturus had only been a Legate for a year.”

“Actually,” the old wizard responded. He removed his spectacles and addressed his former student, “Myself was the Legate of this city for a score. That was before Myself started teaching at the Academy. Then my predecessor took the office for a sundry of years until he perished a year ago. That was when they offered me the position. Myself accepted on the condition that my service be only an interim, while they are deliberating on his proper replacement.

Cassana and Lira both nodded in understanding.

“Anyhow, as for my thoughts regarding Captain Hrothgar. Now, despite his list of blunders and incompetencies, there has never been a soul in this city who has questioned his moral upstanding. He is beloved by both the masses and the elite alike, and he is not known to dip his toes on any brand of corruption whatsoever.”

Lira threw her arms towards Cassana, having her point proven, while the redhead puckered her lips.

The room fell silent for a spell, except for the noise of Mecze’s medical equipment as she finished tending Ashvell’s wounds. She stood up and asked around if anyone else needed her help. When nobody responded, she excused herself and promptly took her leave.

Cassana’s eyebrows furrowed. Despite getting trumped, a feeling lingered that she was missing something, some detail that she overlooked.

As the Mecze exited through the door, two figures could be seen standing outside. One of them popped his head and called for Arcturus’ attention.

“Ah, Firroth, Auren, enter.” The old wizard gestured for the two to step into the room and they politely followed.

“Good afternoon, Sir.” The two men greeted the Legate in unison, before bowing their heads.

“Good tidings, yes. Cassana, these are two of the sedulous wizards working for my office: Firroth and Auren. This is Cassana, a former student of mine, and these are her companions.”

Cassana stood up to greet the two. The one called Firroth was a tall and wide man, in his early thirties, with short, ashen white hair, brushed up firmly. He was a little rugged but handsome, with piercing blue eyes, a sharp chin, and a small scar on his left eyebrow. He was wearing a scale mail armor, inlaid with draconic decorations and heraldry.

Auren was a half-drow, evidenced by his eggplant-colored skin, turquoise hair, and long, pointy ears. He was small, shorter than Cassana by almost a foot, with a gentle and youthful face. He was wearing black robes with the sigil of Restorative Magic pinned to his chest.

“I hope we’re not interrupting some important business,” Firroth hesitated.

“Hogwash, my dear boy. The Small Tower’s business is your business.” Arcturus finally stood from his desk and sauntered towards the center of the room. “Firroth is my predecessor's apprentice. He will succeed me as soon as the bureaucrats at the Tower give their approval.” The tall man smiled humbly as he lowered his head. “Only then can I go back to my research, and finally go back to teaching,” the old wizard finished.

Firroth smiled at the praise. “Sir, we are glad to have you around for as long as you like,” he said.

“Is he a wizard too?” Ashvell leaned towards Cassana to whisper his question. Regardless, Firroth and Arcturus still heard him, and both turned to look at the young driver.

“Yup,” Cassana nodded, and so did the other wizards.

“It’s just the armor,” Ashvell gestured towards the intricate scale mail Firroth was wearing. “I’ve never heard of a wizard who wears armor before. It looks cool though.”

“He’s a blade arcanist. A school of magic that combines swordsmanship and spellcasting.” Cassana then proceeded to introduce the two newcomers to everyone else.

“Now if you don’t mind me asking,” Firroth said, “we couldn’t help but overhear you talking about Captain Hrothgar…”

Cassana turned her head towards the old wizard, unsure of how to reply.

“Ah, of course,” Arcturus decided to offer his own response, “Cassana is on a conjecture that this incident is spearheaded by none other than the commander of the City Watch.”

“That’s… stupid.” Firroth ribbed.

“Is it?” Cassana took Firroth’s remark personally, her spirit lifted by the renewed argument. She faced the tall wizard with a vexed glare and a tight fist and for a moment he looked smaller compared to the redhead. He stepped back with a nervous grin and apologetic eyes.

“I mean, it just doesn’t make sense. Captain Hrothgar is the champion of the people. He is the Guardian of Soliton, why would he kidnap little innocent children? For what reason?”

“That’s what we intend to find out!” Cassana blustered.

“We?” quickly noted Lira, annoyed at the issue’s upturn.

“Then don’t join!” Cassana rasped without looking back at her.

The drow huntress rolled her eyes before shaking her head. She stood up and walked towards the back of Arcturus’ office where the old wizard was keeping a small liquor cabinet. “Do you mind, Professor?” she asked the Legate. She knew what she needed to deal with Cassana right now.

“By all means,” Arcturus answered after a brief pause between Firroth and Cassana’s argument. The tall wizard was just asking the redhead what made her think Captain Hrothgar was involved with the missing children. The latter answered by recounting what happened in the East District.

It was also Lira’s first time hearing the whole story, so she listened in despite her annoyance.

“He could be lying,” the tall wizard commented over the retelling of Frederick’s confession.

Lira raised her glass towards Firroth in agreement, “exactly. You basically tortured the guy. Of course he was going to say anything to make you stop.”

“We didn’t torture him, we just threatened him a bit...” Cassana defended herself.

“The point remains, it doesn’t make any sense. The captain has no reason to do all this...” Firroth added.

“Just because there isn’t, doesn’t mean there isn’t!” Cassana rambled. Everyone else in the room, with the exception of Ashvell and Rei, stared at her, all perplexed. The young wizard felt her throat tighten, and she couldn’t think of what else to say.

“How long have you been here in Soliton?” Lira asked Firroth, glass of wine in hand.

“It’s my eighth year now,” the tall wizard answered.

“And during those eight years, did you get to work or associate with Captain Hrothgar?” Lira followed up.

“On multiple occasions. We were always welcome in his office, and he never hesitates to invite us to consult with stuff that pertains to magic,” Firroth answered.

“And what do you think of him? Personally.”

“He’s a very diligent man, and he is brave, honest and forthcoming, I got no complaints.”

Lira turned to Cassana, “you were saying? Steffan and I may have not seen each for a long time, but I know people, and I know my friends.”

“That doesn’t prove anything,” she replied. Cassana faced away from Lira and returned to her couch.

Once it was clear she said her last piece, Firroth walked closer to Arcturus’ table, with Auren stepping close behind him. They produced the metal spear they collected from the incident and handed it to the old wizard.

“Remarkable!” exclaimed Arcturus. “Cassana, dear, you were looking forward to studying this implement, are you not? Come, come.” He gestured for the redhead to approach his table while gathering the instruments he needed to study the spear.

However, the young wizard's mind was busy elsewhere. Her eyes were transfixed to the wall in front of her, as the thing she was missing earlier finally dawned on her.

“Wait a minute,” she stood up again and walked up to Lira. “How long ago was that?”

“Was what?” Lira replied in bewilderment.

“The last time you and Hrothgar saw each other. When was that?” Cassana clarified.

“I don’t know, a long time ago.”

“How long? What year?”

“I can’t remember,” Lira said as her mind raced to provide an answer. “Ah, it was the time that we had three Burgraves, remember that? One died, the other resigned, and the third one was elected within a short span of months.” She looked across the room beseeching for help.

“I’m bad at history…” Firroth noted. Nobody seemed to know what Lira was talking about, except for Auren, the tall wizard’s quiet companion.

“712 YM?” he whispered. The shorter, half-drow wizard wasn’t confident with his answer, yet no one could verify nor refute it. Lira still nodded, feeling satisfied.

“Wait, fifty years ago?” Cassana blurted out.

“I guess,” the huntress shrugged.

Cassana’s eyebrows furled, her mouth hanging open, as her eyes bounced back and forth between Lira, Firroth and Professor Arcturus. The three remain confused as to what she was trying to convey.

“So, he’s old?” Cassana clarified.

“Uhm... yeah…” Firroth answered, growing more and more confused.

“How old exactly?” the redhead continued.

“I don’t know…” Firroth shook his head.

Cassana turned her head to Lira and the huntress shrugged yet again.

Finally, she stared at her professor, expectantly waiting for an answer.

“Why should Myself know the man’s age?” the professor sniffed, mildly offended.

“Can’t you guys see it?” needled Cassana. She couldn’t believe that she was the only one who had realized what she was about to say. “He looks way too young for his age! Lira, if the two of you were friends fifty years ago, and he was, what, twenty at that time? Right? So that makes him about seventy years old today.

“But that man barely looks like thirty. I mean, he looks like your age,” she pointed at Firroth. “So can somebody explain why?”

“Wait, is that the guy you were talking to earlier? At the City Watch?” Ashvell clarified, finally catching up to the conversation. “Yeah, he doesn’t look that old.”

“Exactly!” Cassana blustered, realizing that her argument finally found a leg to stand on.

The rest of them became quiet.

“He looks older than the last time I saw him…” Lira trailed.

“Which apparently was fifty years ago. He should look way, way older by now, since a human and not a fae-folk like you.”

Lira opened her mouth to try and add something, but she couldn’t think of any.

“Maybe he just has really good skin…” Firroth said, almost rambling. “I mean, there’s this balm I use before I go to sleep, I apply it on my face, and it keeps my skin moisturized…”

Cassana’s eyes narrowed after hearing Firroth’s statement. She had a sudden readjustment of her view the armored wizard, as if a lever were pulled inside her head. Nevertheless, she remained unconvinced by his reasoning.

Lira on the other hand tried to focus more on the fact that it was a statement that supports her point. “See, that is one explanation,” she motioned her hand towards the tall wizard.

“One further explanation is that Hrothgar could be part-drow,” Arcturus suggested. “There are contemporaneous studies surrounding mixed-race individuals. Some scholars have reason to believe that they carry with them certain traits from full-blooded fae-folk, one such trait is longevity.”

Cassana nodded. She could see how the professor could be correct.

“Ah, yes!” Lira cried, “and he’s Ledrithan. His ancestors, his great-great-great-grandfather was a Baron. So high chance that he has some drow blood in his veins.”

“What’s a Baron?” asked Ashvell.

“It’s a title of nobility. Like our dukes…”

“Like Duke Owen?” followed the young driver.

“However, with the collapse of the old empire, came the dissolution of the Ledrithan nobility,” added Firroth. “Soliton’s got no barons anymore, but there are few out there who still insist on using the title. Out of vanity, of course.

“There’s that,” Lira concluded. “See, there’s always an explanation, just because he’s different, doesn’t make him guilty of something.”

“Or maybe he’s a vampire,” Ashvell added still, feeling pressured to contribute something to the conversation.

“Or that! Maybe he’s a vampire!” Cassana seconded. “An explanation that would answer your question on why he’s kidnapping little children. Maybe he’s feeding on their blood as we speak.”

Arcturus shook his head, followed by Firroth. “Vampires don’t live in populated urban areas,” he explained. “Higher risk of being discovered, of course. And they also try their best not to draw attention to themselves, and being the commander of the City Watch is the complete opposite of that.

“I’m just saying…” Ashvell dropped his head. Regardless, he felt satisfied.

“Fine.” Lira huffed in surrender. She put down her glass and walked towards Ashvell. She grabbed her crossbow laying on his side and strapped it over her shoulder. “Whatever the reason is, we won’t find out by just sitting arguing amongst ourselves…”

“Where are you going?” Cassana asked as the drow huntress started walking towards the exit.

“I am gonna find out why Hrothgar looks younger than he is supposed to.”

“What, you’re just gonna ask him?”

“Not a bad idea. But no. I still have a few strings in this city I can pull. Maybe some of them have the answer we are looking for.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“No. Stay here. You and the rest of your coterie focus on figuring out what that thing is.” Lira motioned her hands towards the four wizards in the room then to the metallic spear sitting on Arcturus’ desk. “We need to know what we are up against.”

She stepped out, closing the door behind her.

“She’s right. Professor, what do you got?”

Arcturus had already been casting various spells after he was handed the weapon. “Composition-wise, it appears to be that this object is not entirely made of metal. Myself am sensing several organic markers mixed with its metallic compounds...” the old wizard explained.

Auren, Cassana, and Firroth gathered around him, listening intently.

“You mean it's alive?” asked the redhead.

“Used to be alive,” Arcturus clarified.

“Wait, I’ve read about this.” Firroth said. “Metallocene. Living metal. But last I remember, it was all just theoretical.”

“Yet we see one right in front of us. It appears somebody was triumphant in forging one,” Arcturus announced. He waved his hand and the spear levitated up in the air. It started following him as he walked across the room. “Firroth, Auren, come. There is a metallurgy downstairs left unused by the former Legate.”

“I’ll come with you,” Cassana pleaded.

“No need, we can handle this. You two need to rest, you have had a long day. I will have somebody fetch you a hackney ride.”

Cassana wavered. Her mind wanted to disagree with Arcturus’ counsel but her whole body was already starting to feel sore. Ashvell looked very exhausted as well.

“Can I come with you now?” Rei asked.

“Not yet.” Professor Arcturus answered. “You are still at risk.”

Rei’s head hung down in disappointment.

“The professor’s right. Don’t worry, we’ll be back here tomorrow.”

Ashvell and Cassana grabbed the rest of their stuff and started climbing down the steps of the tower. Both were quiet, until Cassana suddenly remembered something.

“I just realized, we could probably ask Lieutenant Denise about Hrothgar,” Cassana said. “You think she’s loyal to him? I feel like she knows something.”

“Lieutenant Denise?” asked Ashvell.

“The one with Hrothgar earlier. The pretty one, wearing her hair in a bun. She seemed nice, maybe we can convince her to tell us what she knows about the captain.”

Ashvell paused to think, trying to remember what Cassana was talking about. Eventually, it clicked in his head, “ah, you mean the one who looks like Robb’s mom. Right, yeah, she seems nice.”

“Wait, what did you say?”

“That she looks nice.”

“No, before that…”

“Uh… she looks like Robb’s mom?”

“Nissa?”

“Yeah, right? I mean if she’s a few years younger, and she’s not, you know, a mom. That’s probably what she looks like.”

“Right…” Cassana stopped on her feet, her arm reaching towards Ashvell. “She has make-up on, and her hair… and her clothes… and her whole demeanor. I knew she looked familiar yet I didn't realize it. But no, Ashvell, no! She doesn’t look like Robb’s mom. She is Robb’s mom!”