The Wizard's Patience

   Wizard Argentus Felwood stood motionless on top of the three story building, his figure almost blending into the darkness. Moonlight was sparse, but even so, he watched the city before him, waiting patiently. He felt the desire to search the city and even demand for the city guard to carry out the search, but a lifetime of discipline kept his emotions in check. He knew that no one would take action, not without direct evidence and definitely not for a 'street rat.'

  He scowled remembering the scene in the central castle keep, when Mistress Carlen had shown up, almost breathless. The news about the boy being kidnapped from her tavern and her worker's betrayal had been almost been too much for the lady in one night. It had shown how fragile the human mind can be, when a blow is struck correctly. Argentus knew enough about such blows, having spent a life time clawing up to where he was.

  Sighing, he remembered his young companion's reaction. “Felwood, he's just some street rat. We have more important things that need to be considered.” Lord Talon Arwensen had been a good companion for the last decade or so, and Argentus had watched the young man grow up to become a fine warrior, having reached the mid tier ranks with determination and perseverance. However, Argentus knew the man had the usual 'noble' weaknesses, many of them in his prejudices and his priorities.

  However, there were too many things at stake. Something horrifying was loose in the city and had been for years, from what they had learned. In fact, it had been almost obvious to Argentus the moment he had cast on some of the city's dignitaries. The disgusting, red miasma surrounding a few of the men had been enough to indicate that they had been involved with something from the chaotic planes. That wasn't enough to condemn them, as there was a long list of causes for such an influence including cursed artifacts and exotic poisons. Forcefully questioning them had also been out of the question, considering how much authority they held within the city.

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  So, in the end, Argentus was left investigating the city. What he found, however, had shocked him. The corruption in law and order and the disrepair of much of the city was pushing it well towards a pit of despair, which was a perfect breeding ground for some types of 'Professionals.' Worse yet, it had all only happened in maybe five or so years, which stunk of some hidden guiding hand. Even the Temples, who should have involved themselves in such an obvious mess, had stayed quiet for some reason.

  However, he had not made much progress, considering how little time he had been in the city so far. In some ways, that was why Argentus was thankful for the boy providing the final clues to figure out who or what was most likely behind all this. Clenching his jaw tightly, Argentus scowled as he recalled his last battle with a Demon Warlock. That bastard had been already in the mid tier levels and had literally been able to fuel his half a dozen, bound demons using the bodies and souls of those around him as sacrifices. The battle had been brutal, causing the large village they had fought in to literally loose the majority of it inhabitants and be abandoned soon after.

  Wizard Argentus hoped the Demon Warlock that was most likely in this city was nowhere near that powerful. If he was, then it would be a disaster unless the bastard was caught unprepared in the middle of one of his or her ceremonies. Unfortunately, finding the warlock was like looking for a needle in a haystack in a city, and Argentus could not use prophecy type spells, since he had not reached high tier levels. That was why Argentus was instead waiting, while letting his soul and mana reinforced body resonate with his surroundings. The moment he felt a large mana fluctuation, he would know that someone had used a major spell or completed a powerful magic ceremony. It was possible he could even determine which direction to search, and through the process was faulty and imprecise, but he couldn't think of any other way. So, he waited patiently, ready to strike if and when the moment came and just hoped the boy would find a way to survive to see an end to all this.