Around the same time, the last one of the thieves – he who went by the nickname “Magpie” – had walked downstream until he’d reached the confluence of the Little Stream into the River. On either side of the riverbank, the forest had been cleared for the construction of warehouses at the behest of the Merchant Guild. At this time of the year, they were mostly empty, depleted in the heart of winter. Further ahead was the Ruby bridge that allowed the crossing from this part of the docks to Outside. Magpie briefly considered crossing it before deciding otherwise.

He turned back but walked more slowly this time. He painstakingly checked every nook and corner, behind each barrel and crate and hessian bag. The warehouses were a labyrinth in itself and Magpie saw them as a good place for someone to hide. Magpie was proven right when the [Detecting Arcane] suddenly went off. The signal was weak, but he immediately turned around and tried to follow it. It led him inside an empty storehouse. The heavy doors had been left ajar and the snow in front presented fresh footprints. Magpie’s smile was jubilatory as he slowly pulled out his wand and made his way inside.

Windowpanes on the ceiling allowed for moonlight to pour inside the building. At any moment, Magpie expected to stumble onto the masked man, crouching and hiding in a corner. Magpie briefly considered going back and call Owl and Crow but decided not to for fear of seeing his prey escape him.

The [Detecting Arcane] was now peaking and Magpie soon found the source of the [Spell] that had triggered it. In the middle of the warehouse, an [Arcane] had been etched in the floor. From it, puffs of steam materialized with a regular rhythm. First thinking that it was a trap, Magpie circled the strange [Hex], ready to cast a [Defensive Spell] at a moment’s notice. After of few minutes of careful observations, he finally dared approach the [Arcane]. Only then did he notice what laid in its centre: the strange crystal they’d been tasked to steal from the Arcanysta. In front of his eyes, Magpie saw the last rainbow lights of the crystal fade away and the [Arcane] ceased to function. He was about to reach down for it when a sound behind him startled him.

It was the sound of a door slamming shut. And it was followed by the sounds of something being dragged on the floor and calm footsteps.

Magpie turned toward the entrance of the warehouse to see the masked man emerge from the shadows. With each hand, he was dragging a body along with him by the collar of their tunic. Mapgie’s heart lurched in his chest as he recognized the figures of Crow and Owl. They were gagged and restrained by what looked like vines, though that didn’t stop them from struggling against their bonds as if they were made out of steel.

“I prepared that [Arcane] here just in case as a distraction,” Isyd said. “I didn’t want to have to run after you if somehow you guys decided to run further downstream…”

Isyd saw Magpie raise his wand in a threatening gesture, but his hand was trembling. From what he had seen, he was the youngest of the three of them, barely older than Kewin or Jadwia.

“D-don’t… Don’t come closer!” Magpie shouted.

Isyd ignored him. Commands sparked at the tip of the young man’s wand, before fading away. He tried again and again, but nothing was happening; he was just waving his wand around like the useless piece of wood it was. All the while, Isyd was walking further inside, dragging his burden along.

The air felt drier and drier the more he approached. In frustration and panic, Magpie had thrown his wand and tried drawing his [Spell] by hand; the Commands did not deign appear even briefly. His Arts were not working; the Holy Grace was not for him to Command.

By then, Isyd had stopped at arm’s length from him. He let Crow and Owl slump on either side of him. Magpie stared down those sunken eyes of the demon mask and raised his hands.

“I- I yield!” he said.

“Yield? No, we’re far past that now…”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Isyd kicked him hard in the knee. The young man yelped and collapsed on his knees; it felt as if he’d been hit by a hammer! Isyd grabbed him by the hair and dragged him where his acolytes laid. With a flick of his finger, he relieved Owl and Crow from their gags but then used the same vines to restrain Magpie. He really ought to thank Senior Lwieserce for this [Binding Spell] – it was a nice addition to his arsenal.

At last, the three thieves who had caused him so many problems were at his mercy. He had expected more of a fight from them. But then again, he had arranged the situation so that it wasn’t so much of a fight and more like a hunt… And yet, Isyd could still feel the desire for vengeance in him, the thirst for violence.

Antaka was not easily satiated.

He grabbed the thieves by their collar and put them up on their knees. Crow’s face was red and frowned in a mask of pain – the unnatural angle of his right arm was the obvious cause.

“Hell! We yielded!” Owl shouted at Isyd. “What more do you want from us? Fuck, who the hell even are you?”

“You can call me Antaka. I assume you guys are mercenaries?”

“Yes!”

“And you were hired by the Kazkan?”

Owl nodded. His eyes were shifting all around the place. He was probably trying to cast a [Spell] and didn’t understand why it didn’t work.

“I almost feel sorry for you…” Isyd said. “You probably thought it would be an easy job, right? Terrorizing a few bookish Arcanysta here and there, keeping an eye on them from time to time… It’s a pity you stumbled upon me…”

“We were just doing what we’ve been told…” Magpie said.

“I understand that. You probably didn’t expect it to blow out of proportion as it did. Neither did I, so I do not hold it against you… but someone must pay.”

“W-what are you gonna do to us…?” Magpie said, fear in his voice.

“Spare our lives and we will repay you,” Owl said, as the group’s de facto leader. “All the money we earned for this mission will be yours and we will stay out of your path.”

Isyd didn’t answer. He slowly removed his gloves and put them in his pocket. He then took out his darkveil and folded it neatly. His silence filled the three thieves with foreboding.

“Mercy…” Crow could only croak.

“Mercy? No, there will be none of that…” Isyd said softly. “I cannot simply let you walk from all of this; the three of you must pay somehow. One I will kill here and now as a payback for the innocent life lost during the fire you started. One I will break in Soul and in body so that he leaves this place spurned by the Grace the same way you Disgraced a friend of mine. The last I will let go free of further harm. Not as a mercy, but as a warning to others. Tell them what has happened today. Spread my name and let them know this: the Academy and its people are under my protection. More, I claim the whole of Vilriver as mine. I, Antaka, will not tolerate harm done to them.”

True fear appeared in the eyes of the thieves as they understood that there was no hope.

Oh, yes… This does bring back memories… Isyd mused.

Delicately, Isyd began unravelling the bandages on his right arm. For the first time in a while, the twitching was put to rest.