Jean quickened his steps, ducking to dodge the hail of arrows. Beside him, Karn strode on, unhurried, holding his halberd across his chest as a shield for his vital organs.
“Thud!”
“Thud!”
“Thud!”
Three arrows struck Karn—two burying themselves in his shoulders and one piercing his abdomen. Yet he walked onward, unfazed and silent.
“B-by the gods! He’s still coming!” one of the bandits gasped, wide-eyed at the sight of Karn advancing.
“Finish them off!” shouted another. Five bandits charged at Karn, while three rushed toward Jean.
The bandit leader retreated into the fortress to observe Jean and the others' abilities, still searching for the one who could conjure fire and the dragon's roar from earlier.
From the darkness Ivan cast the spell ‘Fire Missile’ towards the crowd near Jean. The three bandits surrounding Jean stepped back a few steps.
"We must be careful! We still don't know where the damned wizard who conjured the fire is!" One of the bandits shouted.
The bandit leader kept using his True Sight ability, but he couldn’t spot Ivan due to Rouvin's 'Darkness' spell.
Meanwhile, Virgil fired arrows at the bandits attacking Karn. Aslan sprinted across the field toward Jean and Karn.
“Prepare to meet your end!” The bandits screamed at Karn, who stood calmly.
His towering seven-foot frame intimidated the bandits, making them hesitate to attack. Karn's silence made his aura even more frightening because even though he was silent, the bandits knew he would suddenly move swiftly and deadly. .
One bandit dashed towards Karn,
‘Clang!’
The attack was effortlessly blocked by Karn, also he quickly countered, cutting down the bandit with his halberd, killing him instantly. Karn stood still, waiting for another attack.
Seeing that,the bandit leader was shocked by Karn's abilities.
"Summon Undead!" He cast a spell while raising his right hand.
The bandit leader’s echoing shout caught the attention of Jean and Karn.
A thick fog rolled over the bandit fortress, and from it emerged undead—about ten of them—advancing toward Jean and Karn.
“He summoned them! We need to find a safe place!” The bandits scattered in fear at the sight of the undead.
“Mercy! I’ll live to drink another day!” one of them cried as he ran.
“Hey! Don’t run away!” Aslan shouted, arriving from behind just in time to see the bandits fleeing.
“At least throw your weapons here! I need them to fight!”
The bandits hesitated, then tossed their weapons toward Aslan before continuing their escape. Three undead wielding ancient swords and shields charged at Karn, who prepared to throw his halberd at them.
Whoosh!
Karn’s halberd flew toward one of the undead, which failed to block with its shield. The impact shattered the creature, and it dissolved into ash, scattered by the wind.
Two undead remained before Karn and the others. Karn ran to retrieve his halberd, while Aslan, now armed with two swords from the bandits, threw his waraxe at another undead, mirroring Karn’s move. However, the waraxe only cracked the undead’s shield.
“What are you doing?” Jean asked, puzzled by Aslan's unusual behavior.
“Trying to match Karn’s throw? He’s on another level.”
Ignoring Jean, Aslan charged at the undead with dual swords.
“Well… no one saw that,” Jean muttered, moving to follow.
“You realize the undead will stop if we kill their summoner, right? We need to take down the bandit leader!” Jean called out.
“Really Jean?! Don’t teach a lion how to hunt!” Aslan retorted, clearly irritated.
“Fucking merchant!” He growled, hurling his right-hand sword at an undead, shattering its shield and knocking it to the ground.
“It’s not dead yet!” Jean shouted as he ran behind Aslan.
"Hold your tongue!" Aslan barked.
He reached the fallen undead, reclaimed his sword, and with a swift strike to its head, turning the creature to ash as it disappeared into the night wind.
Only one undead remained before Aslan and Jean. Karn prepared to attack, but Aslan stopped him.
“Leave this one to him,” he said, nodding toward Jean.
“Let’s focus on the others,” he said, gesturing toward the seven remaining undead approaching.
Jean quickly attacked one of the undead, but the creature parried and countered. Anticipating the strike, Jean dodged, and as he moved, he spotted an opening. Seizing the moment, he thrust his sword into the undead’s neck.
‘Crack!’
The head separated, and the undead dissolved into ash.
Seeing Aslan and Karn already engaged with other undead, Jean hurried to join them.
“There’s only the leader left! We must strike him down!” Jean shouted to the others behind him.
Virgil and Ivan followed close behind, while Rouvin and Cedwyn watched from the cover of the surrounding trees.
Cedwyn summoned two spectral boars and directed to assist Aslan in the fight. As the area felt safer, Rouvin left Cedwyn’s side and joined the battle.
Meanwhile, Farramir stealthily approached the northeast side of the bandit camp, using his True Sight to pierce through the fog and darkness.
He spotted the bandit leader chanting a spell, his focus locked on Karn and the others. Though both of them had True Sight, Farramir remained unseen, having approached from an unexpected angle.
He crept closer, intent on retrieving weapons to redeem himself for past mistakes, drawing nearer to the bandit leader’s house once again.
The bandit leader focused on Karn, realizing he was the most formidable warrior on the field. After exhausting his undead minions, the bandit leader now cast ‘Woles Barrier’—a skill that would slow Karn and the others.
[ Woles Barrier Info ]
image
In front of Farramir, the bandit chief casts Woles Barrier. This spell is rarely used by bandit leaders. It’s usually learned by high wizards who protect the royal keep.
A purple aura spread in a ten-foot radius around Karn and his allies, hindering their movements. At the same time, seven undead approached, accompanied by a barrage of arrows from the fog. Five undead archers emerged, shooting arrows at Karn and the others.
Arrows flew toward Karn, who raised his halberd to shield his chest and protect his vital organs. Aslan, standing beside him, braced himself to deflect the incoming arrows. Despite the slowing effects of ‘Woles Barrier’, Aslan managed to adjust his movements to avoid being struck.
Aslan and Jean were not worried about the seven undead coming. They confident Virgil and the others would help. Ivan launched the Pyro Missile while Virgil released the arrows at the nearest undead to Karn.
They evaded Virgil and Ivan’s attacks. The undead were attacking Karn again. But Karn ignored the attacks,he just focused on protecting his vital organs. Several slashes from ancient swords struck his armor. But the attacks were ineffective against his Crimson Guard Armor.
When exposed to fire, this black armor will show red lines on several parts of the armor, Which will make the armor even stronger. This armor has a high level of defense. Its high defense is scaled with the wearer’s constitution. However, there is only one downside to this armor, the longer it is worn, the more it fuses with the user's body. Though it sounds like cursed armor, Karn was very happy with this Armor.
The armor absorbed the undead’s blows with ease, even as two of them swung greatswords his way. Karn took only a few steps back, bearing the force of the strike.
‘Cough’
Karn endured the greatsword's impact.
No significant damage was inflicted. The undead attacked wildly, seeing Jean and Aslan behind Karn, they aimed to strike them. But Karn activated his 'Rage' spell, making all enemies within seven feet attack him.
“This Woles Barrier spell has a time limit. We just need to endure until it ends!” Aslan struggled to move, his steps heavy and requiring immense effort.
As seven undead swarmed around Karn, Jean reacted by activating the 'Spectral Hurricane' skill towards Karn.
[ Spectral Hurricane Info ]
image
Jean creates multiple shadows of himself attacking the undead. The swift, moving shadows disoriented and confused the undead.
Dazed, the undead were slow to react, and Karn seized the opportunity. Swinging his halberd in a wide arc, he brought down four of them.
Meanwhile, Aslan slowly moved towards the remaining Undead. Three more were approaching him now, the effects of Karn’s Rage spell beginning to wear off. Aslan tightened his grip on the two silver swords he had just obtained from the bandits.
The three undead held their greatswords and attacked Aslan. He managed to block several attacks.
“Slash!!” A sudden strike cut across Aslan’s body, tearing the right side of his chest armor.
“Ughhh...” Aslan grunted, clutching the wound on his chest. It bled, but not severely.
He had no choice but to retaliate. Despite his sluggish movements, he managed to cut down one of the undead with his dual blades. However, two more undead stood before him, swinging their massive, ancient greatswords. Normally, Aslan could dodge with ease, but the Woles Barrier spell slowed him down.
On the other side Rouvin realized something and changed his plan. Killing the undead wouldn't matter if the one who summoned them was left untouched. Using his ‘Pass without trace’ skill, he slipped unnoticed into the bandit camp.
Meanwhile, ten undead came out of the fog, charging toward Karn and Jean. Virgil releases his arrow, followed by Ivan with his Firebolt.
‘Stab!’
‘Stab!’
‘Stab!'’
Several of Virgil’s arrows and Ivan’s fire missiles slowed the undead's advance.
Cedwyn's summoned spirit bear leapt into battle, holding off the undead until the 'Woles Barrier' spell wore off. Ivan cast 'Earth Tremor,' causing the ground to quake and preventing the undead from reaching Jean and the others.
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The quaking ground disoriented the undead wielding greatswords, swords, and shields, halting their approach. Only the undead archers continued firing, but their arrows missed as Jean and the others dodged with ease.
Meanwhile, Farramir, having retrieved his weapons, crept up on the bandit leader. Though a member of the Thieves' Guild, this was his first assassination. With steel daggers in both hands, he closed in on the chanting bandit chief. In a flash, Farramir dashed forward and struck. Distracted by his spell, the bandit leader was caught off guard and suffered a critical wound.
Without hesitation, Farramir aimed his dagger at the bandit chief's neck and slashed his throat mercilessly. The bandit leader collapsed, dead in an instant.
The 'Woles Barrier' spell shattered, releasing Aslan, Jean, and Karn from its grip. Also undead nearby suddenly vanished.
“Is that all?” Aslan wondered aloud as the undead vanished.
“Someone must have killed the bandit leader.”
“I think it was Farramir,” Jean said while looking around the bandit camp.
“Or maybe Rouvin. They're the only ones missing.”
From the shadows, Rouvin observed Farramir’s swift execution. And he realized, they will be a perfect team. As the fog dissipated and the wind scattered the undead, Farramir noticed Rouvin approaching.
image [https://i.imgur.com/9SjK5rk.png]
They entered the camp without hesitation. Inside there, Rouvin and Farramir are taking weapons and pouches of gold from the houses.
Aslan, Virgil, I’ve found letters in the bandit chief’s house,” Farramir announced, handing over a stack of intercepted letters meant for various locations.
“I believe these were taken from a courier.”
“What’s your take on them?” Aslan asked, taking the letters and passing them to Virgil.
“Many of these are from Ironvale.”
“Hmm it's a common case, they intercept couriers to gather information.” Virgil examined the letters.
“They usually seek information on relics, artifacts, or even treasure.”
“I don’t think that’s the case,” Aslan remarked, noticing something off.
“If that were true, we should have found plenty of artifacts here, but this place is just a rundown house. No relics, no treasure, nothing of value.”
“There’s plenty of gold here,” Farramir said, showing several pouches bulging with gold coins.
“Each one holds a thousand gold pieces,” he added.
“What strikes me as odd is that these pouches aren’t all in one place,” Rouvin pointed out, gesturing toward the tents.
“Some are scattered in the bandit tents. Farramir found only a few pouches in the bandit chief’s house
“Hmm... perhaps they’re the bandits' pay,” Aslan mused, trying to piece it all together. “We may not be able to go through every letter, but this situation is strange.”
“But it’s more than strange. Starting with the bandit chief,” Aslan continued, glancing at the corpse of the elf leader.
“He was an elf with considerable magical talent, but he carried no weapon. If he were truly a bandit, he’d have at least a dagger for protection, in case of a betrayal.”
“An elf like that would be better suited in a mercenary group than leading a band of lowly bandits,” Jean interrupted, his brow furrowing.
“This is the first time I’ve seen an elf as a bandit chief. Normally, bandit groups are led by strong, physically imposing individuals.”
“Exactly, these don’t seem like mere bandits. They’re mercenaries posing as bandits, hired to steal information,” Aslan agreed.
“Ahh also, there are no mines or resources around here,” Rouvin agreed with Aslan’s assessment.
“From what I know, bandit camps are usually near natural resources or mines,” he added.
“Looking at the map, we’re here,” Rouvin said, unfolding the map Virgil had provided, pointing to their current location.
“There are no mines here. This area would be more fitting for a royal outpost, given its strategic location.”
“If that’s true, could this be linked to the ‘snake in the grass’ that Vladimir mentioned?” Ivan asked, trying to follow the conversation.
“A lot of these letters are addressed to Redwood Valley, but my family hasn’t received any communication from Ironvale in quite some time.”
“Looking at the map, this is the quickest route to Roothallow and Frostcrest,” Virgil said, studying the map. “That means it’s the courier route, meant to get information sent quickly.”
“Whatever the case, we must hurry,” Cedwyn declared, lifting weapons and other items to load onto the wagon he had brought to the camp.
“I don’t know about this land, but it hides something foul. It’s not a good place to rest.”
“Aye, slaying monsters will be easier than contending with the politics of kingdoms,” Karn muttered, assisting Cedwyn with the pouches, which he placed into wooden crates.
“Alright, whatever it is, we need to leave fast. Before…” Aslan suddenly remembered something bandit’s parting words echoed in his mind.
‘I’ll live to drink another day!’
“Yeah... this isn’t just a bandit camp, it’s a mercenary group hired to gather kingdom intelligence.” He murmured while tightened his grip on the weapon the bandit had given him. ‘I have to remember his face. He’s the one I’ll need to find if there’s trouble in Ironvale.’ Aslan murmured, climbing into the wagon.
They left the bandit camp, carrying wooden boxes full of steel swords, arrows, and other implements of war. And also Farramir and Rouvin took thirty-two thousand gold coins from the camp.
“We’ve not slain them all, they may return,” Jean said, watching Aslan as he stared at the camp shrinking in the distance.
“We can come back if something happens in Ironvale.” Jean added.
“Aye, we should mark this place,” Aslan agreed with Jean.
“Karn speaks true,” Cedwyn chuckled, glancing at Karn’s back as he sat in front. “Fighting beasts seems a lot easier than dealing with the intrigues of kings and lords.”
“Mark my words,” Aslan said, staring up at the sky from the back of the wagon,
“Wars between kingdoms are better than internal conflicts. When it's between kingdoms, you know who the enemy is. But Internal struggles only blur the line between friend and foe.” he added.
The others listened as Aslan spoke his mind.
“Nobles such as Varys, Conrad, and Kazamir wear many masks,” Jean said, leaning against Ivan, while Cedwyn lay sleeping with a bear cub he had found by a cave.
“In situations like this, enemies can become allies if we share the same foe.”
“So, we shouldn’t trust anyone for now,” Aslan advised, closing his eyes. The others nodded, and decided to rest too.
image [https://i.imgur.com/9SjK5rk.png]
Under the moonlight, Karn drove a large wagon pulled by two royal steeds, the kind not typically found on common farms. They passed through Roothallow, a town nestled between Witrial Wood and Mensheim Forest.
“Karn, if you need a rest, find a forest or something. You’re good at hiding, right?” Jean whispered to him.
“Let’s avoid taverns and such until we reach Oldgate.” Jean added.
“Understood, Jean,” Karn replied calmly. “I’ll rest when the royal steeds need a break.”
“Right, then... I shall—wait!” Jean’s eyes widened as he processed Karn’s words. “Did you say royal horses?”
“Yes... these horses are from Tyrondale,” Karn replied casually.
“Wait, how do you know they’re from Tyrondale?” Jean asked, growing curious.
“Obviously, I asked them,” Karn replied, glancing westward. A campfire flickered in the distance, where a group of people was watching the wagon approach.
Around the campfire, eight people were gathered. Their identities were unknown, but both Karn and Jean wanted to steer clear.
“Look over there! A wagon’s heading our way,” said a tall, thin man, slurring from the mead he had been drinking.
“Be careful! There’s an old tale that a Jarl was killed by bandits around here, and they left his wagon and horses behind. A wizard turned them into spirits.”
“Now, with the wizard’s contract broken, the horses and wagon have come back, looking for their Jarl,” the man muttered, squinting as he tried to focus on the approaching wagon.
“It’s just as the story says... a driverless wagon.”
“We need to watch out. They say if you ride the cursed wagon, you’ll become a spirit, trapped forever,” the thin man went on, taking another gulp of mead.
Intrigued by the tale, his friends are eager to prove whether he was just talking nonsense.
As the wagon neared, the group of eight moved closer. Jean, who was hearing the drunken man’s story from a distance, decided to play along. He quickly woke Rouvin to help scare them.
“Wake up, Rouvin, and repeat everything I say in the spookiest voice you can!” Jean whispered.
“What’s going on? Is something wrong?” Rouvin murmured, groggy but looking out at the strangers.
“Who are they?”
“Just follow my lead, and repeat after me!” Jean said, focusing on the drunk man.
Jean prepared a ‘silent image’ spell, while Rouvin readied his ‘minor illusion.’ None of the eight travelers could see anyone in the driver’s seat, as Karn was hidden, but his hand on the reins made them seem as though they floated.
Seeing the reins seemingly move on their own, the travelers grew uneasy. Those who had planned to mock the tale felt their resolve waver as it seemed to be true.
“See?! I told you I wasn’t lying!” The thin man laughed, clutching his bottle.
“Run!!” someone yelled, bolting in fear. “The legend is true!”
“See?” The thin man stayed by the wagon, his friends already fleeing. “Told you I was right!”
“WHERE IS MY LORD!!!” Rouvin’s voice boomed through the night, echoing like a ghostly cry and sending chills down the spines of all who heard. The thin man froze, his eyes fixed on the wagon.
“Run, you fool!” one of his companions shouted, urging him to flee.
But the thin man was paralyzed with fear, his legs shaking uncontrollably until he wet himself on the spot.
“WHERE IS MY LORD!!!” Rouvin roared again, louder, making the nearby horses rear up, whinnying in panic.
At that, the man collapsed, fainting in sheer terror.
Jean and Rouvin could barely contain their laughter as they watched him fall. Aslan and others woke from the noise. Jean gave Karn a quick signal, and he guided the wagon away, disappearing into the darkness.
They journeyed through Witrial Wood and Roothallow and had now entered Mensheim Forest. After covering a good stretch, Karn halted to let the weary horses graze and rest.
Jean approached Karn as he dismounted the wagon.
“Alright! Now you’ve got to tell me how you knew these horses were from Tyrondale,” he pressed, still puzzled by Karn’s earlier claim.
“I told you—I asked them,” Karn replied nonchalantly, gathering wood to start a campfire.
“So you can talk to animals?” Jean persisted, his curiosity unsatisfied.
He sighed, settling down by the fire, too tired to argue further.
“But why didn’t you mention earlier they were from Tyrondale?” He asked again.
Karn just struck a spark, lighting the fire.
“You didn’t ask. The horses described the lands they once knew—couldn’t give me the names of places, of course, but they talked of the climate and the land.”
“Then how’d you know it was Tyrondale?”
Jean sat beside the fire, watching it build.
“The horses spoke of pine forests, dry hills, narrow plains, and an abundance of olive trees—they loved olives.” Karn sat next to him, bringing a small barrel of supplies.
“That’s Tyrondale through and through.”
“You know that region well,” Jean noted, leaning back against the thick trunk of an old oak tree overhead.
“Why here, though, for our stop?” Jean added.
Karn gestured around them.
They were settled in a glade beneath a large oak, with the flatlands of Mensheim Forest stretching around. Oaks, lindens, and hornbeams grow thickly here, while pines marked the southern and eastern edges.
To the south lay the kingdom of Osmeria, but they were bound eastward, to a small town called Bellenoon and from there on to Oldgate.
“I find peace under this mighty oak. I wager the others feel the same,” Karn said, glancing at the wagon.
“Cedwyn should be happy, he’s too worried about his sister and friends.” Karn added.
“Aye, and let’s hope this path stays quiet till midday,” Jean replied, settling down to rest.
image [https://i.imgur.com/9SjK5rk.png]
With dawn, the golden light of morning poured over Mensheim Forest. Birds began to sing in the branches above, filling the glade where Jean and the others lay resting.
Cedwyn stirred awake, stepping off the wagon with his bear cub in tow. Noticing that, Karn and Ivan went to greet him, offering fresh fish to the bear cub.
“Cedwyn, have you named this little one?” Karn asked, kneeling beside the cub.
“Hmm… not entirely sure, but maybe Ursid,” Cedwyn mused, looking fondly at the bear.
As soon as the bear heard “Ursid,” it ambled over to Cedwyn, settling down beside him.
“Look at that! The cub took a liking to the name Ursid!” Ivan chuckled, stepping down from the wagon to watch the bear’s antics.
image [https://i.imgur.com/9SjK5rk.png]
The crisp autumn breeze stirred, sending leaves drifting down from the trees, painting the morning bright and calm—quite unlike the grim look on a figure standing miles away, messenger bird in hand.
Lord Kazamir stood outside the barracks, anger tightening his grip on a letter. With a curse, he tore it into pieces and scattered them to the wind.
"Xavier, we must quickly find Aslan and his group, they’ll be trouble if left unchecked." He was frustrated as Aslan and Karn seemed to have escaped the kingdom
"Yes, my lord, we’ve started spreading bounty posters for them." Xavier, behind him, nodded.
“The posters will soon be all over Weznorands.” he added.
"You seem obsessed with them." A calm voice spoke from the palace courtyard—Queen Mother Agatha had arrived.
"Mother Queen!" Kazamir and Xavier quickly bowed.
“I simply worry, Mother Queen,” Kazamir said uneasily.
“Aslan and his man could pose a danger to Ironvale if left alone.” He added.
“I do not share your fears, Kazamir. Aslan is no threat to the kingdom.” Agatha’s calm smile held a quiet confidence.
“Even now, though he has stepped away, he is still our most faithful soldier.”
“Yes, Mother Queen.” Kazamir lowered his head respectfully.
“And I know him well,” Agatha continued, gazing up toward the castle’s high towers.
“He was never one to be swayed by politics or ambitions within the realm. If a true crisis were to arise, I believe he’d return to protect it.”
“My apologies for speaking out of turn, Mother Queen,” Kazamir said, bowing low once more, with Xavier at his side.
“If you want to kill him, then go on,” Agatha turned and walked away,
“Can you?” adding over her shoulder.
‘Too bad my lord has forbidden me from laying a hand on that woman,’ Kazamir thought bitterly.
To Kazamir, those loyal to the kingdom posed the greatest danger, standing in the way of his lord’s plans.
“Kill the horses in the stable,” Kazamir ordered Xavier. “Then, spread the word that it was because of Aslan and his men.”
“One more thing—tonight, burn my vineyard along with Conrad’s while I’m away at the palace.” Kazamir took a deep breath to calm himself.
“Make sure Conrad’s guards witness at least eight figures at the scene.” He added.
Meanwhile, with Ursid perched on his shoulder, Cedwyn climbed the oak tree, working on a staff for his conjuration and restoration spells. Aslan and Virgil planned the night’s journey. The other rested for the upcoming trip.
Dusk fell, and Aslan and the others prepared to continue their journey. They had chosen a route through Plainfill Hillside, knowing that it would lead them to a large mine with a tunnel that led to Oldgate.
At the palace, a council meeting was underway, focused on the recent surge of monster sightings. Many of the guard troops were being reassigned to track down these creatures. Conrad proposed capturing some of the beasts alive for research, convinced they might be tamed to strengthen their defenses against kingdoms with ambitions toward Ironvale.
"Report, sir! Your vineyard is on fire. Palace guards are attempting to put it out.” The guard reported.
Conrad’s face went pale with shock.
"Who dares burn my vineyard?" Conrad asked angrily.
“We don’t yet know, sir. The guards saw eight culprits in all,” the guard replied.
"It must be them." Asgeir glared at Aslan and his group’s bounty poster.
“This can’t be ignored!”
“Damn scoundrels!!” Conrad shouted,his rage boiling over. “They picked the wrong enemy!”
"I doubt it was them, sir," Kazamir said smoothly.
"It was clear, there are eight of them! Who else could it be?!" Asgeir snapped, his face red with anger.
"But why would they burn our vineyard?" Kazamir feigned confusion.
“It’s a declaration of war, plain and simple!” Conrad bellowed. “Those scoundrels have outright rebelled!”
“I doubt Aslan would bring harm to the kingdom,” Kazamir said, glancing at Agatha.
“He’s always been loyal to the kingdom. It’s hard to believe he’d turn against us.”
Just then, another guard entered with more bad news.
“Lord Kazamir, your vineyard—it’s burning,” the guard reported.
“What?!” Kazamir shouted, his eyes widening in shock.
Asgeir’s anger flared at the news.
“This is insane!” Asgeir seethed.
“Kazamir, deploy every soldier we have! I don’t care if you bring back only their heads!”
“I-I’m sorry, sir, but we need them alive,” Kazamir stammered.
“They could be valuable to us, perhaps even as weapons,” he added.
Kazamir’s plea sounded convincing, even to the furious Asgeir.
“To hell with them!” Asgeir roared.
“We’ve got better soldiers than they are!”
Agatha stepped in, trying to calm the storm.
“Varys, investigate the fire,” she commanded. “Track them down, and make sure you find their trail.”
“No need,” Asgeir cut her off. “Let Kazamir handle it.”
Varys opened his mouth to speak, but Kazamir quickly interjected
"Yes, sir." Kazamir quickly left the palace, smiling as his plan succeeded.