Inigo flinched as the cuff was tightened upon his wrist. He hadn’t meant for it to go this far, and on the off chance that it had, which it did, he hadn’t meant to be captured afterward. Sighing, the young mage relented within the shackle’s hold before throwing the guard one last look as he exited from within the cell. His arms were stretched high above his head, almost uncomfortably so, and as he stood there within the flickering torch light he thought over his actions searching for the exact moment in which things had gone so wrong. But, before his mind was allowed to stray too far from his current circumstance the door opened once more only for a guard to enter in with an older, elvish boy.

Inigo smiled, his features brightening as he shouted on to the other. “Elsdon!”

“No, shut up!” Inigo relented with Elsdon’s scowl, his pointed ears seeming to twitch as they heated with a blush. Sighing he turned to the guard and gave him a brief nod allowing for the man to exit through the door and close it once more. “What the hell is wrong with you!?”

“I-”

“No, shut up! That question was rhetorical, and I wanna yell at you!” The elf clenched his fists and buried his eyes within the heel’s of his hands. Exhaling, he removed them before stumbling forward to stand before the other boy. Inigo was shorter than he was with paler hair and wide blue eyes that almost made him appear harmless. His face still held a bit of baby fat that only really served in making him look younger. In truth, he was hard to stay angry at, but Elsdon tried his best regardless. “I am convinced at this point that the only reason that you’re my underclassman is because Professor Marston hates me. I am going to give you exactly ten minutes to explain what the fuck in Vizaneer’s world you were thinking before I just leave you here.”

Inigo watched the other boy trying against all else to keep his eyes free of the hurt in which he felt. “It was…an investment opportunity?”

“An investment opportunity? Well let’s go over what your little ‘investment opportunity’ cost you. You’re being charged with: breaking and entering, theft, desecration of a corpse, necromancy- ”

“Necromancy!” Inigo jerked against his chains. The rusted metal beginning to click as it held him in place. “That’s bullshit!”

“They don’t seem to think so, and I wasn’t finished: solicitation, trespassing, attempted purchase of illegal substances, and destruction of property.” Inigo blinked. “Now, I’m finished.”

“You can make it go away though right…your dad’s-”

“Yes, my father. Not yours… Iggy, did Majin talk you into this?” The boy blushed adverting his gaze. “Gods you’re stupid. Sometimes I wonder how you even tested into Athanase.” Elsdon sighed his ears dropping ever so slightly along with his gaze. “Tell me what happened; from the start. I want to hear it in your own words.”

Inigo nodded.

***

Inigo couldn’t help but feel his nerves flutter as he opened the door onto the other boy. Elsdon was in class, but by this point it wouldn’t be long before he was released to return to the dorm.

“You’re late, like way late.” He muttered before allowing the tiefling to step within the room’s hold. The other boy was taller, but not by much, his horns were the only thing that gave him any sort of edge upon the other. His uniform was ill fitting, and almost sloppily done, but Inigo knew this more so as a subtle sign of rebellion than anything to do with a lack of monetary means. Closing the door behind the other Inigo turned to face the tiefling before rolling his eyes in faux annoyance. “You know Elsdon doesn’t like for you to sit on his bed.”

Majin shrugged, allowing for his tail to sway ever so slightly as his white eyes creased with a mischievous smile. “Oh, I don’t think he likes me in here at all.”

Inigo snorted, “And he said that you were too stupid to take a hint.”

“Maybe we should let him keep believing that, but I’ve got something that you’re going to love.” Inigo raised an eyebrow before taking a seat across from the other. “So, I know a guy, who knows a guy who has heard rumor that there’s a guy in town paying top dollar for… a no longer living individual.”

“You came here, because you want to sell a corpse to a necromancer!?”

“Hey, no one said that he was a necromancer.”

“Why else would he want a body!?”

“That’s not really our concern, and if it was there could be tons of reasons. He asked for a very specific corpse…specificish. Maybe it’s a long lost family member.” Inigo merely rolled his eyes. “Or…he could be. You know what, it actually doesn’t matter; we have enough to declare plausible deniability.”

“Majin that’s not going to fly when this inevitably goes south.”

The tiefling shook his head, “We’re not going to get caught.”

“You don’t know that.”

“We’ve never been caught before.”

“We’ve never done this before. No Majin, this is stupid.”

“Come on, this won’t work with only one person.”

“Then take it to someone else.”

“Most everyone else here won’t even talk to me.”

Inigo rolled his eyes, “Maybe it’s because you wanna steal a corpse.”

Majin pouted his already pink skin seeming to flush all the more as his tail curled ever so slightly, “That’s not why and you know it.”

“It certainly doesn’t help.” The boy sighed before standing up and moving towards the door. “My answer’s still no, and I hope that you’re smart enough not to try without me.” Inigo opened the door and gestured slightly for the other boy to leave. “Elsdon, will be back soon; you should probably go.”

Majin’s gaze fell onto the floor before he too stood up. “Fine, I just thought that you’d be more interested given that you could probably see Noella Roslyn’s boobs.”

Inigo closed the door catching the mischievous glint within the tiefling’s eyes as he smiled. “What’re you talking about?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you? I know where we can get a polymorph potion. It’s supposed to be the good shit that’s permanent; rumor has it that it was made by an actual devil. We split it into fourths, each take a swig and turn into girls. Then we go into the locker room, see all the boobs that we want, and change back like nothing ever happened. ”

“That’s- you’re so full of- that’s dumb.”

“Really?” The tiefling leaned in, “Seeing boobs is dumb?”

“That’s not…your plan is!”

Majin shook his head. “Trust me, it’s easy money. The hardest part will be carrying the body.”

“Well if the end goal is the polymorph potion then why can’t we do, I don’t know literally anything else.”

“Iggy, this is basically a delivery job. You’re not really going to find anything easier that pays this much. Believe me, I looked.”

“Well maybe you didn’t look hard enough.”

The tiefling shrugged as he made his way around the other and back toward the bed. “Maybe I didn’t, but if there is we’re not going to find it before that thing is sold off. Littleman said that he could hold on to it for about two days, and that was with sweet talking…and some silver.”

Inigo bit his lip and reluctantly met the other boy’s eyes. “When are we supposed to do this then?”

Majin smiled, “I was hoping for tonight.”

***

It hadn’t been particularly hard for Inigo to sneak off from campus as he’d done it several times before when the circumstances called for as much. The few guards working along the campus kept their checks to a minimum, and their routes hadn’t changed any from the semester’s earlier months.

Feeling the night’s cool chill along his skin Inigo couldn’t help but to wish that he’d dressed a little warmer. He’d only been out for a few minutes, as he opted to leave later given the other boy’s track record, and already he was beginning to shiver. They’d each agreed to meet along the edge of Hakam Street; a good block or so away from the campus, and Inigo couldn’t help but to feel his nerves begin to flutter as he stood alone.

Glancing through the darkened space he relaxed a bit once he saw Majin approaching. “What’s the matter?” The tiefling asked with his trademark smile. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“You know I showed up about fifteen minutes after I said that I would, and you’re still somehow late.”

Majin shifted looking a bit embarrassed. “Sorry, I had to make sure that Romayne was really out.”

“Whatever, let’s just get this over with before someone catches us.”

The two walked in step side by side as each fell into a soft silence. Majin had begun to fiddle with a coin, passing it through the gaps within his fingers before making it disappear whole sale. He smiled towards Inigo, but the other boy hadn’t seemed to notice. Majin pouted as he watched the other shiver.

“Are you actually that cold or are you trying to make me feel guilty?”

Inigo glanced up and stifled his shivering a bit. “It’s freezing out here.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Maybe not to you.”

Majin glanced down to his hand watching as the coin slipped down from his sleeve. “We’ll be there soon,” he mumbled. Inigo nodded as he let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, that I made you wait.”

“You already apologized.”

“I know…but you didn’t…” Majin shook his head, “It’ll be worth it, okay.”

“Majin, if I didn’t think that I wouldn’t be out here.”

“Are you mad at me?”

Inigo glanced up, raising an eyebrow. “No? You’re always late.”

“No, not about that. Like- oh, left up here.” The two turned along the streets end. “Like in general.”

“Mmm, still no. Why’re you asking?”

“Um, just curious.”

Inigo watched the other boy for a moment more before reaffixing his gaze onto the street before them. They walked on for a while longer although neither was sure how much time had truly passed before they’d left the upper city districts. Despite this the change seemed almost instantaneous within the area’s construction. Its buildings were smaller and older; although they held none of the grace or history seen throughout the other more aged parts of the city. Many of the gleam glass lanterns left to hang above seemed dimmer than Inigo was entirely comfortable with, although it very well might have been his imagination.

“You didn’t tell me that we were going to the lower district,” Inigo hissed.

Majin looked at him, his eyes seeming to hold a strange astonishment within them. “Did you think that we were going to steal from one of the Drakon churches? Iggy, they won’t even let me in there unsupervised. They’d fucking hang me for breaking in let alone stealing a body. Besides, how else would I have gotten the tip about this place?”

“I don’t want to get stabbed for my wallet, Majin.”

The boy rolled his eyes. “Oh please, that hardly ever happens. Besides the church is right there.”

True to the other’s word Inigo glanced ahead to spot the temple. It, like most of its surroundings, was smaller when compared on to its contemporaries although it seemed as if much more effort were put into maintaining it. Its roof was triangular with two sparse columns laid before it as well as what appeared to be a grayish tone of paint. In truth it was unremarkable save for a small statue set before its few stairs. It was nice enough, although somewhat weather warn with bits of his paint set to stripping away. He was dressed within a thick robe with a hood and various wraps that failed in concealing the true length of his hair as bits spilled down from along the outskirts.

“Dacian.”

Inigo blinked, “I’m sorry?”

“It’s Dacian, the statue. He’s like the god of death in the heathen religions.”

“Um, thanks…”

“What!? You were the one staring at it; I figured I’d answer before you asked.” Majin shrugged before moving closer toward the temple’s doors. Inigo followed watching the other boy kneel as he pulled a lock pick from within his uniform’s pocket.

“Did you used to worship here…you know before converting.”

Majin shook his head as he struggled with the lock. “No, that was my parent’s thing. I mean, not here but you know the whole god thing. Shit.”

“You’re going to break it.”

“I’m not going to break it.” The tiefling scowled before the lock pick’s metallic snap forced a sigh from him. “Well, we’re not getting in this way.” Majin stood not so much as bothering to pull the pick’s remains from where it sat wedged within the door’s lock. “A window then?”

Inigo shook his head. “Too loud.”

“Well then what’d you suggest? Because that was my only pick.”

“I’m not quite sure that we need a pick.”

Majin raised an eyebrow watching the other closely for a moment more before speaking. “You wanna try magic? Let me guess you saw something cool in Elsdon’s textbook that you just have to try? Iggy, we don’t even know the fundamentals yet.”

“Consider it self-teaching.”

“You mean like last time?”

Inigo rolled his eyes. “Oh let it go, that was like a month ago. I’m trying it, besides it’s better than smashing a window, and I’ll only try something easy; nothing forceful so stand back.” The smaller boy cracked his knuckles before eyeing the door. It’d be easy; he’d make for the proper movements and draw from the correct plane. The door was locked and he wanted it to be unlocked; something that was indeed very possible. So he'd pull from the hellish plane then. At least he was pretty sure that he would. Taking a deep breath Inigo raised a his wrist only to feel the thin flesh of Majin’s tail wrap upon it.

“What’re you even trying to do?”

Inigo tore his hand free of the other’s hold. “It’s simple, I just need to change the door to a different potential…like a manipulation of what it already is, it’s classic school of potentialities.”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Yeah? What spell? What if there’s like a ward on the door to stop you? Hmm?”

“Then I’d… You weren’t thinking about that when you went to pick the lock. There’s no reason to even assume that anyone here can even use magic.”

“No, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, in’t it?” The sound of a muffled voice pulled both boy’s attention toward the darkened street as a man stood eyeing them with a strange mix of curiosity and boredom. He was larger than either of them could ever hope to be. His clothing and hair were dark acting only to conceal him all the more within the street’s shadows. As he stepped forward into the wayward light it became clear that his face was masked, although it did little to disguise the protruding tusks that marked him as an orc nonetheless.

“You know, Littleman mentioned that I’d have some competition with this place, but he never said that it’d be a couple of first year brats from the local school. So why don’t you kids play nice and piss off.”

The two boy’s froze each watching the would be burglar with cautious eyes as he rolled those of his own. A cool sweat began to pour along Inigo’s temples as he felt his mouth begin to dry with the realization of what he’d gotten himself into. Raising his hands slowly as not to show harm Inigo gestured for Majin to do the same, although he was unable to tell if the other boy actually complied.

“We…were actually just leaving. In fact we didn’t even see you here, right Majin?”

The tiefling was silent before stepping forward to match the older man’s intense gaze. His own white eyes were squinted with scorn as his tail seemed to furl and twitch behind him. “Listen pal, this is our score. So why don’t you just fuck off and find something else.”

If the burglar was surprised by the outburst he didn’t show it instead scanning his eyes over the two before speaking. “So they’re letting ashlings into that prissy, little school of yours now? Unfortunately for you kid you’re not as scary as you look.”

“I could say the same to you, ugly.”

The orc laughed, “That’s quite the mouth. I’m not going to feel nearly as bad about this next part now.” Reaching along his side the orc placed his hand into a strange bag that Inigo hadn’t at first noticed. It was dark like the rest of his clothing although once opened its felt surface seemed to cover with the likes of red, protruding eyes that turned at once onto its owner and then toward the boys who stood before him.

As the man dug throughout it a strange noise began to admit forcing Majin to take a few startled steps back. Its sound was callous and inhuman bursting free through a sporadic and gravely tone that sounded almost like one of laughter. The orc smirked beneath his mask before pulling a stick free and frowning as the bag laughed once more this time allowing for a thin, red fabric to fall free of its opened maw.

The orc scowled before elbowing the bag into silence. “Damn, fuckin’ thing.” The bag seemed to growl but soon fell silent with the man’s scolding. Returning his attention on to Majin he swung the stick towards his head only for the other boy to avoid it within the last second.

Stumbling all the more the tiefling fell back before hurrying onto his feet. Inigo had joined him by this point pulling him along as they raced throughout the street with the orc’s thunderous steps hot along their trail.

Ducking down an alleyway the two hurried in step hoping beyond all else that the other would either give up the chase or simply lose track of them wholesale. The surrounding area was darker than where they’d come from. There were no torches lit along the alley’s walls and as such Inigo began to stumble about over various pieces of trash and gods know what else. Seeing his friend struggling to move Majin took hold of his wrist and began to guide him along. Their breath came out in hot pants as they each scurried through the narrow area only stopping when faced by the likes of large, locked gate before them.

Cursing their luck Majin threw his gaze back. The coast was clear for the moment being, but he knew without a doubt that given another few seconds the man would resurface trapping them both in place like rats. Glancing towards the gate once more the tiefling looked over toward his companion before relenting to the sound of the orc’s thunderous foot falls.

“Majin-”

“I know.” He hissed before pulling upon the gate’s rusted exterior. “It’s locked.”

“Yeah, I can tell. Can orcs see in the dark?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never met an-”

Majin fell silent once he spotted the figure along the alley’s mouth. Each step was meticulous as he made his way beyond the opening kicking bits of trash aside as he ran his club along the area’s walls. The sound of its harsh scrapping sent a chill throughout Inigo as he tried, against the pressing dark, to make out any such detail of the thing moving before them.

“Y-you don’t have to kill us the money’s yours! Ya-you’ll never have to see or hear from either one of us again. We didn’t even see your-”

The orc lifted his club pointing it toward the two of them as they each took a wary step back. “Ya talk a lot don’t ya? I’m not gonna kill ya kid, but ya friend’s mouth hurt ma feelins quite a bit. And after I was bein’ so nice and all.”

Majin raised his hands in what he hoped to be a pacifying manner. “Lo-look, I’m sorry okay. You’re not ugly. I can’t even see your face.”

“Nut uh uh, you’re not sorry. You’re just scared.”

The tiefling’s tail quivered. “No, I’m sorry. I swear.”

The orc considered both of them for a time before replacing his club within the bag. Its eyes reopening as it once again made those sickening sounds. “Are you willing to prove it?”

“…Yes?”

“You wanted to steal the corpse right? Well how about a runner’s up prize. I’m really not in the mood to carry that heavy coffin after chasing you two down the block. So you can do it for me. And then after I get paid you can run back off to that little school of yours and we’ll call ourselves even. We got a deal?”

***

The orc kicked the temple’s door open with ease as he gestured for the other two to enter in before him. The area seemed minimal within its furnishings only really housing the like of its absolute necessity in pews and the podium beyond. In truth Inigo was surprised to find that it wasn’t all too different from one of Lord Vizaneer’s own temples minus the usual decadence.

Steeling himself the boy walked forward after Majin’s own tentative steps his mind all to aware of the man who trailed in behind them with a relaxed and almost self-satisfied saunter. The three moved in step coming on to the building’s back room of funeral rights. A few coffin’s were displayed before them though none seemed to hold too keen upon a lens of professional craftsmanship with some even still being covered by their palls. Despite this the area seemed sobering within its quiet atmosphere and Inigo thought over for the first time since setting about in this quest if it were truly worth it. Getting involved in criminal activity and desecrating the body of someone who’d perished for his own perceived personal gain. They were heathens yes, but they were still people at the end of the day. The boy sighed suppressing the thoughts; at this point he really didn’t have much of a choice in the matter regardless of what he now felt.

“Middle one.” The orc croaked as his large hand went on to point to the dark coffin in-between. Inigo bit his lip to keep from commenting upon the obviousness of them already knowing as he and Majin made their way towards it. At first glance nothing appeared to be all too special about it and a part of Inigo wondered why the necromancer had even bothered in being specific about his request. Reaching tentatively for the to top most handles Inigo froze once Majin took a hold of his wrist.

“We should probably check inside to make sure that the body’s there. It’s supposed to be a dwarf right?” The orc watched them for a time before nodding and gesturing for them to do as much. Releasing a slight sigh Majin moved to the coffin’s side gently pulling Inigo along with him as he did so.

It opened smoothly, its lid concealing the two as Inigo glanced down and the pale faced man beneath. He’d always been told that the dead looked as if they were sleeping, but the corpse below quickly absolved him of any such belief. The body was pale with a clear lack of warmth in its uncommon stillness. There was no rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, and Inigo was sure beyond all else that his eyes would’ve been glassy and vacant if they were open. The thought made him feel sick as he reached up to close the lid once more, but Majin’s hand stopped him.

“We can still salvage this.” He began to whisper. “If we can lose this guy and get the body to the necromancer first then he’ll pay us and not him.”

Tearing his gaze away from the corpse he met the tiefling’s eyes, and to his surprise even he looked unsure. “Majin we…we never should have done this. No tricks, let’s just get through this.”

“Iggy, this can’t all be for nothing.”

“We get there first and then what? Best case scenario? He finds us later and takes the money by force?”

“Well, is it there or not?” The orc’s voice was loud above their own hushed tones.

“Ye-”

“We’re not sure, I don’t think this was the description given.”

Inigo threw Majin a panicked glare, but the other boy ignored him as the orc made his way to their side. Licking his lips nervously the tiefling watched as the orc glanced down eyeing the body. He acted then, his hand reaching out and into the bag its various folds opening to reveal those same scarlet eyes as before. This time turning themselves upon Majin as it began once more within its horrid laugh.

Feeling the other’s provocation the orc glared onto the boy before reaching forth to stop him, but by then it was too late as the bag began to loosen its hold upon him and wrap its strap along the tiefling’s wrist. Majin shouted within a slight panic and struggled to step back as he pulled his hand free of the satchel his fingers still wrapped around the same wooden club that the orc had before threatened them with.

Swinging the weapon in both panic and malice Majin winced as the wood collied itself side long along the orc’s temple. The visceral crack was all too sobering as the man fell over and knocked the coffin free from along its display.

Inigo watched in horror as the body rolled onto the floor and the orc struggled to regain his footing, only to be struck once more upon the head and collapse wholly along the ground motionless. “Oh my god.” Turning his gaze away from the orc Inigo eyed his friend to find him too along the ground as he struggled with the bag around him. Hurrying to his side he grabbed hold of the satchel and began to pull at it as well. He couldn’t help but shiver as the thing turned a few of its eyes upon him and began to hiss and snap with a new set of horrid and jagged, yellow teeth protruding from along its flap.

Inigo let go in a panicked haste watching on as the bag seemed to tie itself along the tiefling’s shoulder before nonetheless relaxing and closing its eyes after a glance between the two.

“M-Majin…”

“I-I’m okay.” He mumbled before lightly touching along the bags strap and trying to remove it. It’s eyes opened seeming to glare up at the boy as it began to hiss once more. Getting the idea Majin relented with a quiet sigh before throwing Inigo a helpless glance and then looking back on to the bag. “O-okay, I get it; you don’t wanna come off. That’s…fine, you can just stay there for now.” The thing stopped in its hissing once released and closed its eyes once more.

Standing up the tiefling looked over to the fallen orc before gesturing warily. “Is he…”

Inigo met his eyes, standing as well as he hesitantly checked the man’s pulse. Sighing in relief he shook his head and wiped at his eyes. “N…no his pulse is strong.”

Majin relaxed before tensing once again and glancing about the room. “Iggy, Wh-where’s the club?” His voice was soft and fearful; sounding almost broken within its delivery.

“The club?”

“Yeah! The one that I hit him with! Where is it!? Did you take it?”

Inigo watched the tiefling his eyes displaying a clear sense of concern for the other. “I’m sure it’s here somewhere…are you feeling okay?”

Majin rolled his eyes and began to glance around the room his voice not rising above a quiet mumble as he set about in searching for the weapon. “It has to go back inside of the bag. It isn’t safe out here.”

“Majin, it probably just slid across the floor or-”

“Or maybe you stole it! I saw the way that you were looking at it.” The tiefling stepped forward grabbing the shorter boy by his shirt’s collar and pulling him close. “Give it back to me, now Inigo!”

Inigo scowled before taking a deep breath. “Look, that bag is obviously messing with your head or something. It’s either enchanted or maybe it’s purely magic…I don’t have the club Majin, but I will help you find it. Just let go, okay?” Majin swallowed, before releasing the other. Watching him closely and biting at his lip he finally nodded.

Restoring the room from its current state of disrepair took slightly longer than the two had hoped, but in the process they’d managed to restore the body to its former place of dwelling as well as recover the club to Majin’s utter relief. When all was said and done the two looked toward one another before glancing back on to the orc before them.

“So should we tie him up or leave him?”

Majin shrugged, “We don’t exactly have anything to do it with nor do we have time for this. Let’s just get the body to the necromancer and be done with it.”

“You still want to do that after all of this!?”

“Iggy, if we don’t then this was all for nothing.”

“That’s a sunken cost fallacy and you know it.”

Majin rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. We’re almost don-”

“What if there are other guys, Majin? Or, I don’t know, he wakes up and hunts us down? You really wanna go deeper into the lower district and risk that? At least on campus we don’t have to worry about this shit.”

Majin dropped his gaze away from Inigo’s own before glancing over toward the coffin. “Fine, if you’re worried then you can just go back to campus, but I’m at least making this worth something.”

“You can’t walk down the streets alone with a coffin. Can you even carry that thing by yourself?”

The tiefling ignored the remark before closing what little distance stood between him and the body. Opening the coffin’s lid he tentatively reached out before wrapping his arms around the dwarf’s waist and beginning to lift. He seemed to struggle at first with the body’s weight, but after repositioning himself and his method of carry toward a bridal style he managed to lift it fully and move towards the door.

“Majin, you’re being ridiculous…come on put the body back. At least cover it up first, asshole.” Grabbing a hold of one of the other coffin’s palls Inigo made his way to the tiefling and flung it over top of the body. “Fine, you win. Let’s just get this over with, okay. I’m not going to let you do this alone.”

Majin bit his lip and paused in step before meeting the other boy’s eyes. “That was…kind of emotional blackmail. I’m sorry, Iggy. I just don’t want this to all be for nothing.”

“I know, let’s just finish this.”

***

The necromancer’s disclosed location was farther to reach than the two had previously believed. Several times they’d been concerned about missing it or taking a wrong turn along a street or another. Their arms had grown tired throughout their journey and they’d opted to trade off the burdened carry every ten minutes or so, but finally when their hope had almost been lost entirely they came upon the proper address.

Breathing a sigh of relief Inigo moved to pass the body back onto Majin only for the tiefling to meet his own eyes with a strange bewilderment.

“We’re here, I’m not taking it.”

“It’s your turn. Just take it back, my arms hurt.”

Majin rolled his eyes before leaning forward and knocking upon the door.

***

Inigo paused as he met Elsdon’s sharp, emerald eyes. They were watching him with a relaxed scrutiny by this point as he stood within his torch lit cell. “Um Elsdon, could you ask the guard for some water? And can you get him to take the shackles off? They’re really starting to get uncomfortable.” He shook his wrist for added effect allowing for the rusted chains to clatter against the stone wall.

“When we’re done. What happened next?”

"Um…we gave him the body and he paid us, then we got caught in the black market.”

Elsdon raised an eyebrow. “The necromancer, what did he look like?”

“Oh, I um…I didn’t see his face. He was wearing a mask.”

“Oh, was he now.”

Inigo adverted his gaze. “…Yes.”

“You know, you probably have the second most obvious tell after my little sister, but she’s eight. Iggy come on, talk to me. Did he threaten you?”

The boy shook his head.

“Iggy, the guards want something, and if I’m going to get you out of here then I need something. Do you at least know where the body is-”

Elsdon’s words were cut short by the harsh creaking of the dungeon’s iron door. The sound was louder than either boy’s voice had been and it pulled their attention fully as a guard made his way in with a well dressed man. He appeared to be within his late thirties or perhaps early forties evidenced by the light sprinkling of salted age throughout his otherwise black hair. He walked with a pristine level of self-assurance that suited his tall stature well.

In seeing him Elsdon quickly snapped to attention before meeting his eyes and muttering about in a fit of vocalized surprise. “Professor Marston!”

The professor waved his hand somewhat dismissively at the young elf. “Relax Elsdon, you’re not in trouble; I don’t hold you in account for your fresher’s actions. Why don’t you go wait in the hallway and keep an eye on young Majin. Make sure that he isn’t up to any mischief or other. I’ll handle Inigo.”

The boy nodded before throwing Inigo a troubled glance. “Of course, Professor.” Watching as the senior offered a curt bow and exited Professor Marston waited a few choice seconds before turning his gaze towards Inigo. The boy’s throat tightened as he met the professor’s auburn eyes.

“Professor, I swear I didn’t-”

The man raised his hand cutting the student off. “I know, because you literally can’t discuss my…let’s say ‘extracurricular’ activities with anyone who doesn’t already know which right now includes you, myself, and Majin.”

Inigo swallowed dropping his gaze. “You charmed me?”

“That’s not what a charm is, but yes I put a spell on the two of you. I couldn’t risk them giving you a truth serum. Besides, it doesn’t look like you would’ve needed one as it is. Looking through your rap sheet it appears that you’ve already been busy spilling your guts. How many times have you told your little story today?”

Inigo dropped his gaze from the other man’s own. “Only twice, once to the investigator and again to the investigator.”

“Did they threaten you? They wouldn’t torture a minor, especially not a human student of Athanase.”

Inigo shook his head. “I was worried about Majin.”

The man nodded before taking a slow step forward. “That’s very noble of you.” Pulling a small key from within his robes he affixed his eyes to Inigo’s left cuff and set in to work upon it. “You know I could have you expelled for what you did last night.”

“I…I know.”

“But I’m not going to.”

Inigo blinked as his left hand fell free and alongside his waist. It was chaffed and still stung with a slight air of discomfort. The professor moved on toward his right hand freeing that one as well. “Ya-you’re not?”

“No, I don’t believe that your lives should be wholly reshaped for minor mistakes made within youth. No one was hurt, and everyone got what they wanted.” The professor smiled and stepped back allowing for Inigo to rub along his sore wrists. “Speaking off.” Reaching into his robes and replacing the key he pulled forth a small bottle holding within it a dark and swamp like liquid.

Inigo blushed at the sight of the potion. “You um, you knew about that?”

The professor nodded. “Majin told me in my questioning of him. It’s okay, I was young once too.” Holding the potion up the professor smiled before tossing it into the wall the glass’s shattering sound forcing Inigo to flinch. “But I’m not anymore. You don’t need to peep on your classmates you little perv.”

Inigo watched as the dark liquid slid along the wall its surface already beginning to dry as a pang of guilt and remorse tugged along the interior of his chest.

“I’m actually glad that you went after it; those things are too dangerous to be in this plane of existence.”

“Y…yes professor. Can I ask you a question?”

The man glanced down at him. “I imagine that you have a couple, but go ahead.”

Inigo nodded, “Why would you want to study a form of dark magic like necromancy.”

Professor Marston studied the young man for a time before a smile pulled upon the corners of his mouth. “Because there’s no such thing as dark magic Inigo. These are artificial distinctions made by those with small minds, afraid of what they may unearth. The pursuit of knowledge must not be limited by such arbitrary morals; I’m sure that you’re smart enough to see that.”

Inigo inclined his head as he bit slightly upon his lip. “Yes professor.”

The man’s smile deepened. “Good, because my last lab assistant didn’t seem to believe as much, and I could use a new one,” he shrugged, “or two. You don’t have any dwarf in you by chance do you? They’ve always been a particularly sanctimonious bunch in my experience.” Professor Marston’s teeth gleamed as he met his student’s eyes.

“N-no sir.”

“Good, then I suppose that we can put all of this behind us. I’ll have a work schedule for you and Majin by Monday. You’ll both be paid the standard student worker allowance, of course, so there will be no more need for criminal activity…unless I deem it necessary. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, for the most part you two will keep your noses clean. The priest made it clear that the charges would be reinstated if you didn’t.” Professor Marston tapped upon his chin, pausing for a brief moment. “Oh, and don’t touch Majin’s bag of holding. There’s something wrong with it, and I wasn’t quite able to get it off of him…at least not yet. Fascinating little thing, I don’t quite think that it’s from this plane of existence.”

Inigo nodded watching the other man for a few seconds before working up the nerve to speak. “Y-yes professor.” The boy bit his lip then. “Um, one more question: Do I have a choice in these ‘extracurricular activities’?”

The man smiled before gesturing for Inigo to follow him from within the cell. “Of course you do, and I’ve already made it for you."