The two men accompanied by Blackie to the end of a hallway down a staircase. Blackie lit a lamp and opened an old door that creaked and smelled of lacquer recently repainted. They walked down the creaking steps. “Watch your step, sir.” Blackie began walking down the stairs.

  “Victor, can I be assured you understand discretion?” Carl asked.

  “I do.” Victor lied.

  They entered a wine cellar dusty and dry and began walking toward the far end. They turned left finally reaching the corner of the room. Blackie pulled down on one bottle causing the wall to slowly grind open away from them revealing another large room. Blackie stood aside. “I will remain outside sir.”

  The two entered the room taking Blackie’s lantern and Carl lit a candle handing it off to Victor. “This is my information room. I retain original records from many years ago. Records that I may one day find useful. You are searching for communications from 4 years ago. This cabinet here contains the records I’ve saved from 4 years ago. Tell me. Who was the victim and who are your remaining suspects?”

  “Phil Farson was killed. Jim Farson and Nathan Price are the remaining suspects on our list.” Victor noted.

  “Predictable. My memory is extraordinary. I remember taking this letter out of a bin one day and reading it. I am a bit nosey after all.” He walked up to the cabinet and opened a door. Its seal was broken but the letter was tucked neatly into it.

  He handed it to Victor. ‘Nathan please meet me at the inn off 5 Star Road. We must speak.’ Victor could feel the gun smoke in his hand. “This is incredible. You’ve just handed me the case.”

  “All I ask in return is that you be considerate of me should matters ever arise that require consideration.” Carl smiled a sly simple smile that slunk away into the darkness as he moved the lantern.

  “This means a lot to me. Thank you!” Victor reached out to shake his hand.

  Swordie commented. “You are quick to take anyone’s hand, my student.”

  “An outstretched hand deserves a good shake.” Victor nodded back.

  “That is a good attitude to have sir Victor. If ever I can assist you in some way let me know I’m sure we will be of great help to each other.” Carl closed the door and the three of them walked up the steps closing the door to the wine cellar. Victor put the letter in his bag inside Swordie.

  They returned to the room and the tray of cookies was empty as well as most of the cups of tea. “You’re back! Just in time too. We finished the cookies.” Emilie smiled.

  “Ladies I do believe it is time for us to leave.” Victor nodded trying to hide his beaming smile.

  Georgia slapped her legs standing up. “I’m so happy I’ve gotten to meet all of you.” She leaned over to hug them each as they stood up. Emilie and Jenora leaned in. Serena just stood there and painfully let the hug happen Victor hugged her back with one arm. “Come back anytime!”

  Blackie escorted them to the entrance. “If you ever need access to the house again please contact me and I will make sure the master of the house or the lady of the house is made aware. They are looking forward to it.”

  Serena turned to him. “Thanks for getting us out of there but what did he have to tell you?”

  Victor pulled the letter out and handed it to Serena. “What the hell? This is it.”

  She handed it to Jenora. “I’ll kill him. He paid for his brother to be murdered. Unforgivable.”

  Emilie put her hand on Jenora. “Easy there tiger. We have to bring him to justice. They’ll cut his head off for this and we have the contract stating we receive 5 Star Road when we deliver the contents of the vault to him. There is no rule about him being free when we do so.”

  “I’d just like to be the one who swings the axe.” Jenora clenched her fist. “We should go to the Freedman’s Guild and locate Nathan Price. Now. Farson comes right after.”

  Emilie followed after Jenora who stomped forward ready to break his face. The four of them rushed through the city running together toward the Freedman’s Guild. They entered and approached the line. George walked up to them still massive in size towering over even Jenora. “The boss isn’t in today. The individual you are looking for is outside on a brown horse with a diamond on his head. He’s waiting for his order to be processed.”

  The four walked outside and to the left, a man sat on a horse in a long line of carts but without a cart of his own. The four of them approached a man with a bandana on his head. “About time. I’ve been waiting here for over an hour. Do you have the goods I ordered?”

  Victor walked up to him and was about to speak before Serena stepped in front of him. “Mr. Price. Please get off the horse. We have some questions for you.”

  “You can ask them just as well from right there.” Price answered combatively.

  “Have you ever spoken to Phil Farson?” Serena continued standing between him and Victor.

  “Can’t say I have.” He shrugged.

  “Have you ever been in an inn off of 5 Star Road?” Serena pressed.

  “I try not to head to the shitty part of Wonora.” He sat up straight on his horse and gripped the reigns.

  “About 4 years ago you met with Phil Farson at a bar on 5 Star Road.” Serena simply declared it as truth.

  “Alright I did but he was babbling about something, and I didn’t want to hear it so I left. Can’t say I spoke to him.” He denied it again.

  “Is that why he paid you 3,000 gold to kill his brother?” Serena bluffed a response.

  The man swallowed and leaped off his horse to the roof. Serena followed instantly only a few footsteps behind. Emilie slapped Victor’s back “Speed Boost! Regenerate! Catch him!”

  Victor cast a speed boost on himself and followed after on the ground. He didn’t have the strength to reach the rooftops in a single bound but with this much speed, he could still keep up. Serena wanted to attack him but couldn’t just throw daggers in the city, so she just kept up looking for an opportunity to grab him heading from house to house. He made his way south toward the gate using chimneys to block her view. Eventually, he completely disappeared from her view by silently dropping to the ground.

  At the end of the alleyway, Victor had circled and blocked him off. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. No matter what you’re caught. If you turn yourself in they might be lenient.”

  He looked up seeing Serena panting but standing directly above him with her knives. “Oh, you two aren’t anywhere close to my level. I was worried there for a moment.” He raced toward Victor with a short sword nearly taking off his head only to catch a knee to the chest.

  Victor felt the blow reverberate down his leg as it knocked Price back. It didn’t seem to do much damage. Victor even noticed his health go down from the hit. “Give up now and they’ll go easy on you.”

  -2 Health

  188/190 Health

  “That’s it? You’re fast but that was pathetic.” He landed only to find Serena going for his head. He blocked with his arm which erupted into blood. He tried to jump off the wall to reach the roof again only for Victor to grab his leg flattening both of them to the ground. He threw a blade at Victor. He quickly cast a vitality boost, but the dagger hit his neck gushing blood.

  Regenerated 4 Health

  -373 Health

  117/490 Health

  Bleeding: 10 minutes, 102 damage per minute of movement.

  Victor choked putting pressure on his neck as Serena knocked away a second blade. She stabbed his leg and he kicked her away. He leaped to the roof as Victor took a potion. “Go! She’s healing me.” He dropped his speed boost and activated his rigor boost downing another potion. After healing 50 health he finally stopped bleeding. He could only recover as he’d never be able to catch up.

  Serena chased after him as the wall came into view. A small form came into view. “STOP RIGHT THERE!” Patricia ran directly at the two of them. Price tried to avoid her only to get slammed to the ground below as he leapt between buildings. “GET DOWN FROM THE ROOF!”

  Serena complied immediately. “He murdered Jim Farson 4 years ago.”

  “She’s lying!” Price insisted. “I was running away from someone accusing me of murder who might have just been sent to assassinate me!”

  “If you cross-reference his income you’ll see 3,000 gold paid to him a month after the death of Jim Farson.”

  “Everyone gets paid for things! It’s just a coincidence.” He proclaimed.

  “What was a payment of that size for?” She forced his head down.

  “I saved him from bandits on the road! He was so grateful he paid me.” He screamed

  “Uh huh, 3,000 gold. Did you report this to the adventurer’s guild or Freedman’s Guild?” She asked.

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  “I did! I reported it to the Guild.” He protested.

  “It’s not reported on his taxes.” Serena shot back.

  “Well, now you’re going to the pen.” She slapped cuffs on him. “You’re under arrest for tax evasion and publicly disruptive behavior.”

  “SHE WAS RUNNING ON THE ROOF TOO!” He screamed.

  “A deputy chasing a tax cheat has more than sufficient cause to do so. Quiet from the scum before I gag you.” She stood up and turned to Serena. “Follow me.”

  “I need to go make sure Victor is alright. I will return in a minute.” She looked at her and then quickly back down the alleyway.

  “Alright don’t run on the roofs.” Patricia turned toward the east. “Alright move along scum bag.” She forced him forward down an alleyway.

  Serena ran at top speed through the alley. She came across Victor standing up. “I’m fine Emilie cast regenerate on me before we took off. I’m nearly full health. Did you catch him?”

  “Captain Conway caught him and arrested him but not for the murder. You’ll need to give her the letter and we’ll need to confront Phil first.” Serena helped him up and dusted him off.

  Victor shook his head. “Are all rogues that hard to deal with? It took a lot more healing to stop bleeding.”

  “Most rogues have Gaping Wounds which increases the threshold for their bleeding effects to stop. Bleeding takes a little more healing as the damage goes up but that skill makes it increase much faster. Mages are extremely vulnerable to bleeding and by extension rogues. Your best bet is to increase your vitality as much as possible to survive the hits.” She slapped his shoulder. “You did good though you stopped him twice. He’d have gotten away from me and Captain Conway only came to stop him because he ran across the rooftops too close to the wall.”

  “Yeah, I guess I did stop him from getting away. Next time though I want to do it without becoming a pincushion.” Victor chuckled and wrapped his arm around her. “Let’s go find Emilie and Jenora before we confront Phil.”

  The two of them stumbled through the streets arm in arm in good humor as the other two found them a few minutes later. Emilie tended to Victor immediately. “Are you two okay?”

  “Captain Conway caught him. Victor stopped him from escaping.” She smiled at him.

  “Serena chased him doggedly forcing him to make a mistake. We couldn’t have done it without each other.” They leaned in for a hug both smiling.

  Jenora looked to Emilie. “Are they alright?”

  “A little dirty but they’ll be fine.” She turned back.

  “Let’s go get the real monster.” Jenora angrily turned around leading them toward the center of town. The long march became more and more somber as Jenora spoke. “How could he possibly do this to his brother? Who would dare?” They arrived seeing the purple cap and feather prominently in the center of the square near the fountain. “Phil Farson. Do you have a moment to speak in private?”

  “Oh it’s all of you, missing one I see but most of you at least.” He nodded with a disappointed smile. “I can take a few minutes it’s about lunchtime I suppose.”

  “Follow me.” Jenora leads him into an alleyway.

  “Um so did you open the vault?” He asked with an almost unreasonably cheerful smile.

  “You had your own brother killed, 4 years ago you paid Nathan Price 3,000 gold to kill your brother.” She punched the wall next to him. “Why?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” He protested.

  Victor pulled out the old letter. “Why did you meet him and pay him 3,000 gold?”

  Phil looked around at the angry faces before breaking into tears and falling to his. “I’m sorry! I tried so hard! I wanted to save him!”

  Jenora grabbed him by his shirt and lifted him off the ground. She slammed him into the wall. “Speak up before I lose my patience.”

  “I found out someone was trying to kill my brother, and I told him, but he didn’t take me seriously! He never does. So, I found out who and I met with him. I asked him how much money it would take for him to drop the contract and he said twice what he was being paid which was 3,000 gold. He didn’t think I was going to pay him, but I did.” He sobbed.

  “You should have gone to the authorities!” Jenora pressed him further.

  “I should have! He didn’t deserve to die!” Phil sobbed.

  “You’re going to tell everything you just told us to Patricia Conway at the prison.” Jenora gripped his neck and started pushing him forward. “I can’t believe you wouldn’t do more to protect your brother.”

  Some people looked at them as they walked him toward the prison. Eventually, a guard stopped Victor. “Sir, why are you escorting this man in such a manner?”

  “He’s part of a scheme to kill his brother 4 years ago.” Jenora tightened her grip.

  “Captain Conway is waiting for us. Feel free to accompany us.” The guards cuffed him and escorted him with the 4 of them to the prison. The trip was a nearly silent one with Jenora seething and muttering to herself quietly and Phil sobbing. The stone building barely had tiny windows with a single bar across them. They walked into the sound of screaming as a man was pulled behind a large metal door.

  Conway turned to the group. “Another one for me? That was fast.” The halfling walked up to them. “Well, what’d he do?”

  “I failed to save my brother’s life.” Phil sniffled.

  She raised a single eyebrow and opened her mouth for a moment before speaking up and addressing Victor. “I’m going to need more information.”

  Jenora growled. “He’s the one who paid Nathan Price to murder his brother.”

  “I didn’t! I paid him to drop the contract against my brother.” Phil insisted.

  “How much did you pay him?” She asked.

  “I paid him twice the contract 3,000 gold. He did it anyway even after I paid him.” Phil continued sniffling. “I should have come forward instead of paying him but he was in Freedman’s Guild. I was afraid of him.”

  “Why didn’t you come to us after he killed him?” Conway asked.

  “I’d already paid him. When I confronted him he said he’d blame me if I ever mentioned it to anyone.” He was slowly starting to calm his breathing.

  “Lock him up. I’ll look into it.” Patricia pointed to the metal door. Phil walked off sobbing to himself. Victor handed the letter to her. She read it. “Lead with this next time.” She then handed it off to a guard who took it in the back.

  “I’m genuinely impressed you managed this. You 4 make great detectives. I’ll be able to charge and convict Nathan Price with this. Guy has been connected to a few unusual deaths over the years good to see he finally messed up, but assassins always do.” Conway extended her hand and Victor shook it. “

  Victor turned to Jenora. “We should check at 5 Star Road.”

  “You have someone else to apprehend? I’m happy to accompany you if you need assistance.” She held out her hand.

  Victor smiled. “By all means. We’re headed there to fulfill our end of the deal.”

  “Deal?” Conway asked.

  “You’ll see when we get there.” Victor smiled and all of them started walking.

  Jenora slapped Victor on the back. “You’ve done a great service. No one should be betrayed by their own family.”

  “He claimed he didn’t but that story is too stupid to believe. Even I don’t believe it.” Victor shook his head.

  Swordie spoke up. “Oh no.”

  “What’s wrong Swordie,” Victor asked confused.

  Serena glared at the book. “Don’t you dare?”

  “It appears we have a test; one I think we’re going to fail.” Swordie finished.

  Serena sighed and Conway turned to ask. “What are they talking about?”

  Jenora looked down at her. “We were set on this case by the ghost of Jim Farson. He said he’d disappear once we brought his killer to justice.”

  She tilted her head. “Don’t followers of the Golden Goddess hate undead? Did you speak with it? Who speaks with Ghosts?”

  Victor raised his hand. “That would be me.”

  “Ah! The angelic knight. That makes sense. They do things that no one else in their right mind would do.” Conway nodded.

  Serena laughed wholeheartedly. “You have no idea.”

  Swordie chuckled. “Oh, how apt a description. She is observant.”

  The group eventually arrived at 5 Star Road. The old decrepit bank stood before them, and they opened the door. Victor stepped in. “HOW DARE YOU ARREST MY BROTHER!” Victor dodged a letter opener flying toward his head.

  “We found your killer! Your brother paid him!” Victor shouted.

  “YOU FOUND MY KILLER BUT MY BROTHER IS IMPRISONED! HE SPENT THOUSANDS ON SECURITY TO PROTECT US! HE DID NOT HAVE ME KILLED! FREE HIM IMMEDIATELY” The vengeful spirit slapped Victor in the face with the door. Victor fell to the floor with a bloody nose.

  -3 Health

  Bleeding: 1 minute, 2 damage per minute of movement.

  “I guess he didn’t hire him.” Victor wiped his nose.

  Conway looked at him helping him to his feet. “What are you talking about?”

  “Ghosts can be exercised. If you fulfill specific conditions any ghost will pass on.” Victor explained.

  “Really? I’ve never heard that.” She shook her head.

  “Trust me. I think it’s absurd too.” Emilie groaned.

  “Free him, if the ghost goes away then he’s innocent,” Victor instructed.

  Patricia shrugged. “Given your title, I’ll trust your judgment. If the ghost is still here when I get back, I’m going to push to hang him.” She took off faster than Serena but nowhere close to the speed Forala disappeared with. A few minutes passed with Emilie healing Victor and them talking back and forth before a burst of air erupted from every part of the building.

  “Wow, he didn’t do it. Guess I’m wrong.” Victor stood up.

  “A familiar outcome I take it,” Swordie commented with sarcasm dripping.

  “A familiar and desirable outcome.” Victor smiled.

  “I can’t believe that worked.” Emilie shook her head and stepped inside. “COME AND GET ME YOU STUPID GHOST!” She shouted to the silent bank. Dead quiet, for the dead could finally rest.