[Arteus' Shack]

Arteus's eyes searched the horizon, his gaze distant as if he could see beyond the rolling hills and into the very fabric of fate itself. Castrol, Millie, and Lilly approached, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of snow that had settled on the cobblestone streets. The sun painted the landscape in a golden hue, casting long shadows that stretched out like the arms of a giant, reaching for the horizon.

"What are 'you' doing here?" Arteus asked, his voice a soft rumble that seemed to echo through the stillness of the shack.

"I want to help," Lilly said, her breath steaming in the cold air. She stepped closer, her eyes never leaving his. "You guys could use a mage i'd imagine."

Castrol looked at her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he said nothing, then he nodded. "We could," he said, his voice gruff. "But it's not going to be pretty."

"I called her," Millie said, her voice tinged with a hint of bitterness. "Boy, you could use extra hands when patrolling the city."

Arteus turned to face Lilly, his eyes searching her. "Can you handle yourself in a fight?"

Lilly, with a determination that surprised even herself, nodded firmly. "I can," she said, her voice steady despite the tremble in her heart. It was a lie, a bold one, but in that moment she believed it to be true.

"Good," Arteus said, his voice low and gruff. "But remember, I don't need no liability." He turned away from her, his eyes scanning over the landscape. The shack was a testament to a solitary life, with its sparse furnishings and the faint smell of leather and metal that hung in the air.

"What have you all gathered?" Arteus asked, his hand lingering on the hilt of his axe. The question hung heavy in the space, a reminder of the gravity of their situation.

"I'll go first," Millie announced, her voice firm and unyielding. "I spoke to the couple that used to provide Barley with livestock, the Dubois'."

Arteus turned to her, his eyes piercing in the dim light of the shack. "And?"

"They were tight-lipped at first," Millie admitted, her eyes flickering with a hint of annoyance. "But I think i got something out of them. They said they would meet with me tonight, at some party."

"Jack Doherty's?" Castrol interjected, his voice sharp.

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"The very same," Millie said, nodding. "How did you know?"

Castrol leaned against the shack's wooden frame, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "That's ah... not important," he said, his eyes flicking to Millie. "But the important thing is that they nobles have been meeting daily since that snake in the cloth, Tobias, strutted into town."

"They what?" Lilly's voice was incredulous, her eyes wide with shock. "Why would they do that?"

"No clue," Castrol replied with a shrug, watching the shock play out on Lilly's face. "All i know is they change venues like a traveling circus," he added, a hint of sarcasm lacing his voice. "One day it's at the grand ballroom of the Dubois, the next it's in the dingy backroom of the Mason's. It's like they're playing a twisted game of hide and seek."

Arteus turned to Castrol, his expression thoughtful. "So you haven't been invited, but Millie you have?" he asked, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.

Castrol grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. "My methods for stumbling upon this information were unorthodox, lets put it like that," he said, his tone playful yet edged with a hint of something darker.

Arteus raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his gaze shifting to Millie. "Can Castrol be your plus one... Millie?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.

"I don't see why not," she said, her own eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement. "He is the current village chief of barley after all."

Arteus nodded slowly, a plan forming in his mind. "Good," he said, his voice firm. "You two go to the party. Gather as much information as you can without arousing suspicion. We need to know what's going on in the city, and why they're so eager to keep it from everyone else."

"And what about you?" Castrol asked, his eyes flickering to Arteus' axe. "What's the plan for the 'hero' of the Barley?"

Arteus took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving the horizon. "Lilly and I will patrol the streets," he said firmly. "We can't have any more innocents fall to this madness."

Millie nodded, the gravity of the situation etched into the lines of her face. "We'll be careful," she said, her hand on the door handle. Castrol followed her lead, his own gaze lingering on Arteus for a moment before turning to leave.

But as Lilly moved to follow, Arteus's voice stopped her. "Wait." The single word hung in the air, thick with the unspoken weight of his thoughts. She turned back, her eyes searching his, looking for an explanation.

"Look," he said, his voice gruff but not unkind. "You're a grade three mage, right?"

Lilly nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Y-yes," she stuttered, unsure of where this was heading.

"Lilly," Arteus said, turning to face her fully, his eyes boring into hers with a seriousness she hadn't seen before. "I know you're eager to help, and I appreciate that. But out there, things are... complicated. Dangerous. Your abilities, as a grade three mage, are... limited."

He paused, his gaze drifting to the axe leaning against the wall. The weapon looked almost alive in the flickering candlelight, a silent sentinel of the battles to come. "You should bring Gracie with you," he continued, his voice gruff. "We can't have her getting kidnapped while we're out trying to stop the same thing?"

Lilly nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. Despite her fears, she knew that she couldn't hide away in the safety of whatever lodging they currently stayed in while the others faced danger. She followed her grandmother and Castrol out the shack, the door creaking shut behind her with a finality that sent a shiver down her spine.

-To Be Continued-