Maria… nothing is happening, I tried to convey to her as I felt her tugging gently into my vision. It was an odd sensation, like a thin thread connecting our minds, and sometimes I wondered why she found it so appealing to peek into my world. My tasks often felt mundane and repetitive, and today was no exception.

It’s not that boring, she replied, her voice brightening the otherwise dull atmosphere around me. I could sense her amusement, a playful twist in her tone. I get that there’s a thrill when there’s a chase or an arrest, but sometimes there isn’t anything happening at all. Like right now… I’m just catching up on paperwork from yesterday. Paperwork... something I could never seem to get caught up on now a days, no matter how hard I tried.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her comment. She had a point. Peering into each other’s visions offered a delightful escape from our own realities, however, sometimes I did question when she did it sometimes. Like why would she want to watch me do paperwork for an hour or more?

The paperwork sprawled across my desk was tedious: a case of theft involving a lower-class citizen and an upper-class patron. The details were sparse, which left me exasperated. With the minimal details I received, I made a mental note to retain some of my guards on how much detail to give in reports.

As the file I was looking at simply said:

Stolen: Priceless vase. Worth value unknown.

The lack of clarity from some guards was frustrating. I shook my head, noting that the thief had been arrested and sentenced to thirty days—just the minimum required. "At least the thief was caught..." I muttered as I placed the paperwork back in my drawer.

I scratched my head and pulled out another file from yesterday. This report detailed an assault involving a married couple. The guard on duty at the time charged both for the crime as both were blaming each other. Until a Zone of Truth spell is casted they are both sentenced to thirty days in jail. The wife, the one who got the most injured got medically treated then put in her cell. This one is still under investigation and will be looked into in the following days.

"Hmm... alright, hopefully Novak remembers to go back to this." I said as I took a mental note to look back into this case to make sure our latest higher revisits the case.

The last document I glanced over was particularly grim: a murder case involving poison. A case very similar to what we had been dealing with a while back. As the poison was injected through a pinhole and resembled that of what Marcel used.

"At least, I have more details on this one... Perhaps it is because of the poison..." I muttered as I looked over the file more closely.

A female, with a pinhole in her neck. Injected with a hellish origin poison. Body taken to morgue. Waiting for questioning. Quinn.

"Ah.. no wonder. Quinn did this report." I couldn't help but smile as she understood what all was needed in these reports and that I was on the look out for more poison cases.

Stolen story; please report.

So the poison is back… I thought to Maria. I had hoped we wouldn’t have to deal with that menace anymore, but I guessed I was wrong.

Remember, there’s still the other fiend that was working with Marcel, she reminded me, her tone grounding me in the moment. At least according to the lady that was tied to the tree.

Maria made a good point. There was indeed a fiend out there, elusive and dangerous, whose identity and whereabouts were still a mystery to me. Perhaps that would be my focus for the day: track the fiend using the bracelet. If I picked up any others along the way, that would be a bonus.

With a renewed sense of purpose, I filed the paperwork into my desk and donned my armor. It felt good to wear the familiar weight of the gear, a reminder of my duty and the responsibilities that came with it. I left my office, locking the door behind me, and headed out into the sun-drenched streets.

I began my patrol in the outer rings of the city, methodically working my way inward. The streets bustled with activity; merchants called out their wares, children played, and the scent of fresh bread wafted through the air. I picked up three fiends along the way—small, insignificant creatures that posed no real threat. I quickly dispatched them, ensuring they wouldn’t trouble anyone again, and brought their remains to the morgue to be burned.

Where are you… I thought, frustration creeping in as I completed a second run through the city. But again, nothing. The elusive fiend must have gone underground, perhaps aware of my tracking abilities. Maybe Marcel had informed them of my methods.

After finishing the second run, I returned to my office, feeling a bit worn from the relentless pace I had set for myself. Normally, we would have a brief break between runs, but today I hadn’t allowed myself that luxury.

You pushed yourself… Maria’s voice came through clearly, tinged with concern.

Eh… it wasn’t that much. It does me good to get back out there, I replied, trying to brush off her worry.

I know, but I still can’t help but worry, she insisted, a hint of frustration lacing her words.

I know… just remember it’s my job, I reminded her gently, trying to reassure both her and myself.

Yeah… I get it, Maria answered, her voice quiet and a little defeated. I could sense her concern over me, the protective nature that came naturally to her. A sense that I was feeling more and more of recently.

I know you do, Theo, but I still worry about you.

Mhm… I get it. I worry about you too, I admitted, feeling a warmth in our connection that always seemed to calm my racing thoughts.

Once back in my office, I settled into the familiar routine of finishing up my paperwork from yesterday. It felt good to have a sense of order amid the chaos of my duties. I allowed myself a couple of hours before my rounds would officially begin. My first would be with Quinn, then Hank, followed by Novak. I planned to push myself through three rounds today, a way to ease my body back into the rhythm of patrols while keeping Maria at ease.

After a few hours, a knock resonated through my office, accompanied by Quinn’s enthusiastic voice. “Ready when you are, Captain!”

I stood, stretching my limbs before gearing up again. I strapped on my armor, feeling the comforting weight settle against me, and grabbed my weapons, preparing for the day ahead.

As I stepped out of my office, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. Thankfully, each of my runs was smooth and easy. The streets were bustling, and I greeted familiar faces, my presence reassuring those who looked to me for protection. The sun shone brightly overhead, illuminating the path before me as I prepared to face whatever challenges the day might bring.