When they arrived at the guild hall, the curtains were all drawn and the doors locked tight. A clamor stirred from within, and they planned to spare no such courtesies as leaving when asked. As Deventh knocked, the firm rattle of metal against wood cut through the uproarious noise.

“We’re renovating, fuck o—I mean, come back later,” a voice called out.

“Thadagar,” Deventh said with mock cordiality. “Good to hear from you.” His words were met with no response as the lock clicked. The door groaned open, enough for the small Fenvar to peek out with his ghostly white face. Wide, bright yellow eyes stared up at them. He managed to croak out a single word.

“You’re—”

“Alive, yes,” Deventh said. Beside him, Anna clenched her fists until her knuckles were blanched. Anger scrunched her entire face.

“You slimy, conniving little runt,” she spat, her cheeks hot and red. She stepped forward and jerked the door, dragging with it the Fenvar who was still holding on. Thadagar lost his grip, falling off-balance and landing on his hands and knees.

Although he struggled to lift himself up, Anna spared him no pity. She anchored herself, drawing her arm back with her fist still balled. A knowing tension strained Thadagar’s brow as he flinched, anticipating a crushing blow. Before she could swing, Deventh held out his arm between the two, and both their bodies slackened as they stared at him with confusion.

“We’re even,” he said. “Is Rauleth here?”

“A-aye, that he is,” Thadagar said. He stepped aside to hold the door open for them, revealing the hall in shambles. Scattered in groups, at least a dozen individuals busied themselves with clangorous activities as if frantically searching for something. Some trailed around the room tipping tables and tossing chairs, drinkware clattering against the floor. Wood creaked and snapped as others pried up floorboards, peering down beneath them. The rest rummaged through the bar, taking advantage of the distraction to partake in free drinks. Bottles clinked, liquid sloshed, and belches bellowed.

“This is what you call renovations?” Tatsidi mused, smirking at the scene before him.

“Why don’t you ask Rauleth?” the Fenvar growled back.

The group entered the building. No one paid them any heed other than to steal a curious glance. Their eyes wandered, not resting on any individual–only searching for the ginger-blond Gildvar.

To their right, behind a closed door, a loud bang stole the attention of those nearby. A second rattled the door against its frame, and a third knocked it off its hinges.

Those watching took a step back, eyes widened and mouths agape with anticipation. Rauleth shrieked as he stumbled into the open, his foot catching the leg of an overturned table.

“HeeELP me!” His arms cartwheeled as he fell. He landed onto the worn hardwood floor with a dull thud. He rolled to the left as a sudden gust of air flipped the table into the space he’d just occupied, a moment too late to land on him.

Heart racing, he hastily conjured a cobalt blue ball which glowed with a soft white light and hurled it at the opening in the wall. It instead crashed into the beam above the door frame, splintering wood as its momentum crushed everything in its path.

It soon became clear, however, that this was not the intended target as a figure stepped through the cloud of splinters and dust. Rauleth cursed as he struggled to lift himself, his limbs weak and wobbly from the intense expulsion of magic. From the doorway where he loomed, Aurelio shouted as debris settled around him.

“Stay still, you piece of shit, so I can properly knock off that head of yours!” A gust of wind burst forth from his outstretched palm. The ball of air missed the Gildvar as he rolled aside, and it blasted a gawking Thadagar off his feet.Chants arose from dumbfounded silence and circled around Rauleth. His eyes widened as he realized they were cheering for Aurelio.

As the uproar swallowed the room, the face of the frizzle-haired man twisted with an unusual expression. More of a grimace than it was a grin, it grew and deepened the more Rauleth’s fear glazed his drying eyes. In a circle around Aurelio stirred the pile of splinters and rubble, whipped up in a swirl of wind. The speed picked up as Rauleth managed to rise to his feet. As Aurelio readied himself to strike, however, the stomp of a leather boot shook the ground.

“What in Ardren’s name is going on here!?” Anna shouted, her booming voice sweeping away all other noise as it filled the entire room. After a moment to discern her face and stature, Aurelio’s expression turned to one of bemusement, his stiffened brows and twisted lips all the more menacing with his now curious eyes between them.

“Good evening, my saviors,” he said. A sinister tranquility resonated in his voice. “I need to kill this squawking parrot, after which I will gladly explain everything. Give me just a moment.”

Rauleth chimed in. “You all–Thadagar, you said you took care of them.”

“Fuck off, Rauleth,” said Thadagar, “I wasn’t about to risk my life stickin’ around to make sure they were dead.”

“Aurelio, please quell your magic,” Anna said. She twisted her ring to summon her shield. “Before you destroy the entire guild hall.”

“No.” Before Anna’s shield finished materializing, Aurelio stretched out his arm and hurled a deafening, whistling gale at Rauleth, powerful enough to upheave him. The gust sent him flailing across the room, pelting him with splintered wood and crumbled stone. Anna sprung on her right foot and ran to catch him, but the winds around him were too strong and too fast. He slammed into the stone wall, and the wooden boards rumbled as he crashed to the floor. Gasps overcame all who watched.

The only sound thereafter was the soft tap of Anna’s boots as she approached the fallen Gildvar. He still breathed, though he’d fallen unconscious. On his once pristine face, streams of red flowed from deep holes implanted with scraps from the wreckage. One larger fragment of stone had taken a dripping chunk of flesh from his cheek, exposing the top row of his teeth and gums, and embedded itself into the wall behind him. Deeper, gaping wounds riddled his body, and the question of internal injuries lay yet unanswered. Anna dropped to her knees and rushed to begin healing him.

“You can heal him if you want, but I’m going to kill him sooner or later,” Aurelio said while observing Anna’s efforts. His magic was spent, and he huffed with fatigue.

“Quite the display, Aurelio,” Deventh spoke up. “Seems rather personal.”

“Yes,” Aurelio said. “He’s the reason you found me the way you did.”

“We had a hunch.”

“You brought me to one hell of a doctor, though. For that, I am willing to admit I am in your debt.”

“If that’s your sentiment, you can start by telling us what’s happened here.”

“Of course. But first, now that he’s no longer in charge...” Aurelio spoke louder, addressing the crowd. “Everyone get out, we don’t need the stupid necklace.”

All who had fallen to silence raised murmurs once again. Without question beyond shrugs amongst each other, they all dispersed to their rooms to gather their things.

“Necklace?” Deventh asked once the others had left.

“Aye.” Aurelio moved to a table and flipped it upright. He pulled up two chairs for himself and Deventh. “This was one of Rauleth’s stupid little heists. The Oath brought back some enchanted piece of jewelry as a reward for a recent contract. I was his getaway cart, but he failed to mention the dangers along the road. Wouldn’t have agreed to it otherwise.”

“I wouldn’t imagine so.” Deventh sat down across from him. Figuring it best to avoid revealing they were in possession of the mentioned item, he moved on. “With the way things turned out, I wouldn’t imagine either of you have anything to do with the disappearances, either.”

“We know nothing of them. That much was true.”

“And the hostel?”

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“A personal stop along the way.” Aurelio smirked. “Velaiah is uninvolved.”

“Right.” An edge of annoyance found its way into Deventh’s tone. “What sort of enchantment did this necklace have which made Rauleth so eager to steal it?”

“I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t care. He may have just thought it was pretty and valuable. If we can’t find the damned thing, I’d rather get out of here while I can.”

“We ought to report you to the guard,” Anna remarked from across the room, “But I’m sure you’ve caused enough trouble that they’ll catch on naturally.”

“Yes, you’ve got a point.” As he stood and pushed in his chair, Aurelio sighed. “They may already be looking for me. Velaiah would likely see to it.”

“Before you go,” Deventh said, catching him just as he turned away, “Where are the real guild members?”

“Oh, they’re locked in the basement.”

“How long have they been in there?”

“Five days, if I’m counting correctly.”

“Five–” The glow of Anna’s hands fizzled away in the midst of a healing spell. “Have they been tended to?”

“Can’t say,” Aurelio said. “But if you’re worried, I’d get to them as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, Aurelio,” said Deventh as he also stood up. “We won’t keep you any longer.”

“Aye, well… I suppose if we ever see each other again, I owe you another favor for letting me go.”

“We’ll hold you to it.”

“And I wouldn’t expect any less. Farewell.” Aurelio gave a halfhearted wave, scratching at the stubble on his chin as he walked away with a swaying, leisurely gait. Thadagar followed him, stopping to give Deventh an approving nod before he proceeded. As the two left the building, the others began to emerge from their rooms to make their exit as well.

“Jessa, Tatsidi, let’s go to the basement while Anna tends to Rauleth,” said Deventh, and they followed him to the far corner of the room.

Around the corner stood a lone door with hinges that creaked as it opened to the inky darkness below. Deventh grabbed a torch from a nearby sconce and led them down, the flickering light guiding them as the dinge of dust filled their noses. They proceeded past open storerooms full of equipment, provisions, and cobwebs, until they reached the end of the hallway. There, they happened upon the final door–the only one barred shut. Deventh set down his torch.

“How much would any of you be willing to bet this door is trapped?”

Tatsidi stepped forward and peered at the door, inspecting its hinges, knob, bar, and deadbolt with a piercing gaze. After a few moments of study, he nodded to himself.

“Tatsidi is certain there are no tr—”

“Wow, there are a lot of wards on this door,” Jessa interrupted as she, too, stepped forward. “There’s one that will catch your clothes on fire, a soundproofing one… And, oh, my, that’s not one I’m familiar with, but I definitely wouldn’t mess with it.” As she continued to rattle off the list of potential dangers, a dejected Tatsidi slunk back into the darkness outside the border of the torchlight. Deventh spoke up, interrupting her maundering.

“Can you dispel them?”

“The last one might be tricky, but I could try.”

“Then get to it. They’re probably eager to leave.”

Jessa moved closer to the door. Her hand glowed with a faint blue aura as she raised it to the wooden planks. Runes revealed themselves and began to glow in a variety of colors and patterns. Each one faded away as she focused on dispelling them, and soon only one remained. It shone with a deep purplish red, and magic symbols moved and swirled about its surface.

Sweat beaded on her forehead as she focused her magic. Seconds turned into minutes before she finally broke her silence.

“Oh, no!” she said as she took several steps back. The others did as well, unsure what had happened to cause her to take fright until the rune burst in a colorful display of light. Once broken, it spoke with the familiar intonation a certain high elf.

“Ah-ah-ah, naughty naughty!” It called out. Tatsidi’s ears and whiskers twitched as he blinked in disbelief, and he exchanged glances with Deventh. The two snickered, but Jessa herself was still recovering from the sudden fright.

“Oh, Deventh, my friend, we mustn’t laugh,” Tatsidi said as he caught his breath. “There are people in there.”

“Aye, let’s get them out,” Deventh said, stifling more laughter. He stepped forward to lift the bar from its hook, then swung the door open. Before he could enter the room, however, he froze in place, and his hand shot to his nose. It didn’t take long for the others to figure out why. Tatsidi doubled over with his hand covering his maw as the stench of waste wafted out of the room, and Jessa drew her lips in, holding her breath. Suppressing any further reaction, Deventh stepped in first.

The first face revealed by the light was that of a Mezthrin man, hunched over and weak. As the feeble man coughed and stumbled forward into the torchlight, Deventh extended his arm to steady him.

“Th—cough—thank the gods you’re not one of that damn elf’s thugs!” The man said through smiling, parched lips. “You aren’t, right?”

“If I were, I’d have some life decisions to evaluate,” said Deventh, taking small and careful steps to lead the man out of the room. He guided him over to Jessa and lowered him into a sitting position propped against the wall. Jessa took note of his parched lips and produced a waterskin. While they tended to the first captive, Tatsidi moved in to find the rest, pulling his cloth mask up over the bridge of his nose.

Inside, shelves were lined with scraps of rotten food and opened sacks of grain slowly trickling their contents onto the floor. A dozen more people waited, all looking dehydrated and weak as did the first. Deventh joined Tatsidi in helping each of the victims to their feet, and the two eventually led everyone out of the cramped pantry.

The others began to file out, but Tatsidi stayed behind to make sure no one was forgotten. Behind the shelving at the far back corner of the room, he happened upon one more victim leaning limp against the wall, his hair bedraggled and stuck in clumps. Although light was scarce, it was clear he was in worse shape than the others.

As Tatsidi stepped closer to help the orc, he heard a soft, sickening squelch, and a firm substance squished beneath his foot. A fresh odor assaulted his nose and caused him to tear up, and he looked down upon the pile of excrement beneath his foot.

Swearing and suppressing a fit of dry heaves, he reached down to grab the orc’s outstretched hand and pulled up. Once he was standing on both feet, Tatsidi supported him, struggling under his hefty weight as they hobbled out of the pantry. He stumbled in the dwindling light to catch up with the others, and they climbed up the stairs.

Once upstairs, everyone took to seats at the tables which had been set upright. Prayers of gratitude and joyful mutterings took favor over conversation. Anna looked over each individual, ensuring that emergency care wasn’t necessary, until she happened upon the orc whom Tatsidi had found last.

“How are you feeling?” She asked as she pulled up a chair beside the sickly orc.

“I’ve survived worse,” he replied. “It’s probably a good thing you lot showed up when you did, though.”

“Yes, I heard you were in there for the past five days.”

“Five days, huh? Feels much different when you haven’t seen the light of day,” the orc said, a pause giving way to a grimace as it found his face. “Especially with only stagnant water and stale beer to drink and nowhere else but a corner to piss in.”

“That is awful,” Anna responded, taking a moment to set aside her anger and disbelief as she gathered what to say next. “I’m glad you all managed to get out safely. Five days would have been plenty of time to succumb to dehydration.”

“You don’t need to remind me,” the orc shuddered. “I feel foolish for almost losing lives here over some jewelry. We should have just handed it off to the Mages’ Association to study it.”

“We felt foolish as well.” Anna gave an understanding nod. “Wandering so far down the road just to find what was right here.”

“Aye, no use lamenting now,” the orc said. “This isn’t the first time a legitimate job of ours has been preempted by scoundrels. All this talk of nearing death and we haven’t even introduced ourselves — I’m Thulreg Lungorn, chairman of Kho’Gul chapter of Ardren’s Oath.”

“Anna Brunsvold.” Anna offered her own name and motioned to Deventh, who was engaged in conversation elsewhere. “And my colleague is Deventh.”

“Who are you lot, anyway?”

“We’re a small guild, Valorforge. Some of our other members take contracts here from time to time.”

“Ah, an ‘adventuring’ guild, then? Best of luck to you. It’s not easy out there–that’s why I ended up here.”

“The safest choice is sometimes the best,” Anna said as a yawn snuck up on her. “Ah, after all that, there’s still the matter of the disappearances.”

“That is so, but we can discuss more tomorrow. I think I’d like to turn in now.” As Thulreg wobbled to his feet, Anna helped him to stabilize himself.

“The rest of us should do so as well. It’s been a long day.”

Thulreg gave a genuine smile, his lips spread thin over his tusks. “Aye, that it has. Thank you, again–I can’t do so enough.” With a smile of equal spirit, Anna waved to him as he walked away. Soon after, Deventh caught her eye as he made his way up the stairs.

Once he reached the balcony, he took a left turn into the bedroom where Anna had left Rauleth to take rest.

The only light was that of a brazier crackling in the hallway. As Deventh stepped in, the floorboards squeaked and startled the bedridden Gildvar, whose face hid obscured in shadow.

“You–” a weak voice said. “Why couldn’t you have let me die?”

“Why would we?”

“I tried to have you killed.”

“That may be so,” Deventh said, “But the dead can’t be held accountable.”

“My face.” Rauleth sobbed into his cupped hands. “She said it would never be the same.” His shoulders shook with each swell, his words hushed and fragmented. Forcing back tears, he trembled, every broken bone in his body aching with his suppression.

“Not even with magic?”

“No.” Rauleth’s voice was reduced to a whisper. “The doctor can fix my broken body, but…” He sat upright, bringing his mutilated visage into the dim light. Only fresh, bloody lacerations remained where the forceful winds had embedded the debris. Where the flesh had been torn from his cheek, it appeared Anna was only able to manage a crude reattachment.

“That is a shame,” Deventh said after a brief silence. “You’ll see the doctor, then?”

“Yes. Anna will–” Rauleth continued to choke on his words, “Anna will escort me there in the morning.”

“Very well. I won’t ask you about anything else – seems you’ve got some new troubles to reflect on.” With a slight bow of his head, Deventh imparted what sympathy he found within himself. He proceeded to the doorway, where Rauleth’s utterance of his name held him back.

“Deventh.”

“Yes?”

“Death may be freedom from accountability, but perhaps the world in my absence would have been a sliver brighter.” For the first time, Rauleth made eye contact. “You shouldn’t let people get away with things like I’ve done. All in the name of vanity and riches… None of it was worth this. But others may not be so quick to repent. Others may become vengeful, embittered. No one’s to say that when I come to my senses, I won’t be the same.”

“I would say this suits you,” Deventh insisted, unconvinced. “There is worse than what you’ve done.”

“No. There is worse than what I’ve done to you.” A moment of mutual understanding effervesced in the silence between them.

“I see.”

“Good. All I ask is that you do. Goodnight, Deventh.”

“Goodnight, Rauleth.”