Game Five: Welcome to Helmsforth. And Beware!

In the city of Helmsforth, just off the kingdom's main highway, strange and evil times are brewing. The gates have been shut and quarantine has been declared. Still, the city struggles to go on with its business as usual. Merchants haggle, children play, warriors swagger and lovers love. We have seen bad times before and we will see many more.1

Still, the quarantine has lasted a long while. People are getting impatient and panicked. Daily the garrison halt people from leaving. Some need to get back to their business. Some need to get back to their loved ones. Some need to just leave. No one can.2

The inns are full with travelers and malcontents, most of whom have rested in this town in their past journeys but it has now become their prison. While people may walk through the town, no one is allowed to leave the perimeter of the walls under pain of death. Still, if one wishes, one can spend days full of entertainment and activity within the walls. Every wish of yours can be made true, as long as that wish is not to leave these walls, and if you can survive. People flock from all over the country to pray at its myriad temples, to taste the foods, to sample the goods at the main market. The city is packed to the brim.3

With the town on the edge, the guards hold on its criminal population has been slipping. Two rival groups have cropped up, the Assassin's Guild and the Magician's Cadre. They are determined to wipe out the other and dead bodies are appearing. Life in Helmsforth has suddenly become even more dangerous.4

Welcome to Helmsforth. And beware. 5

~~6

"Quiet night." The statement came from one of the guards on the city wall. Rendan had been a guard most of his adult life, starting young, and expected to continue in this job for a long time. Certainly it was a respected job in Helmsforth, men clapped him on the back and women looked upon him in approval. The only woman's approval that mattered these days, however, was that of his beloved Lynna, who he planned to propose to soon. He could never tell what she thought and, even now, wasn't sure if she'd accept.7

Toril grunted, tired and happy his relief had finally arrived. He was getting too old to patrol the walls night after night, he decided. Waving, he made his way down the steps and out of sight.8

Rendan settled at his post, checking his weapons out of habit. He didn't expect anyone to make trouble this night but he knew better than to become complacent. Ever since the quarantine had started, the city had become a much more vicious place. Sickness turned people into monsters, he thought.9

Light footsteps sounded behind him and he smiled, turning. Often his Lynna would stop by with a meal and a smile. Looking at the figure who approached, he frowned.10

"Halt!" he demanded, whipping out his sword. The figure smiled and raised its own weapon.11

Down below, Toril halted. He was sure he had heard Rendan cry out. Pushing back his tiredness, he drew his weapon and started moving quietly up the stairs. Suddenly he was blinded by a flash of light and bowled back as something hit him with a screaming sound.12

The next day, Rendan's relief encountered two bodies. That of the man he was sent to relieve, laid open with a gash from shoulder to naval, and of another guard, neck broken at the bottom of the wall. 13

~~14

In a stone and thatch cottage in the Northern sector of Helmsforth, Edith awoke early to start her chores. In the allotment that surrounded her cottage, animals waited for her to attend to their needs. After drinking her customary spiced tea, Edith gathered what she needed and walked out into the crisp morning air.15

Chickens greeted the site of the bucket of grain eagerly, running up to her and staring at her intently with bright, beady eyes. She tossed several handfuls of the wheat in an arc around her, and the chickens scattered to greedily consume their meal. The rest of the bucket she sat down in front of the head of a grateful jersey cow. Edith allowed her to munch a couple of mouthfuls as she positioned a aluminum pall under the cow's swollen udder, and then sat down on a small three legged stool.16

Edith rubbed warmth into her hands before wrapping her fingers around two of the teats. Alternating between hands, she pushed against the udder and then squeezed the milk down with her fingers. A rhythm established, she sat and listened to the sounds of the city as the milk splashed into the pall.17

The morning was mostly quiet, but she could her snatches of muted conversations as people passed her allotment. It was mostly the same old grumblings since the quarantine had begun - people complaining that they couldn't leave the area or quips about wanting to see the behinds of visitors now trapped in the City.18

The quarantine didn't bother Edith. She had lived within the City for most of her life. She had no family outside of its walls, and had no excuse to travel. She sustained herself by taking diary and poultry products to the markets, bartering the butter, milk, cheeses, eggs and the odd chicken for everything else she needed. She grew enough in her allotment to provide her with some herbs and vegetables, but she often needed more than that - including grain for her animals.19

After finishing milking, she picked up the bucket and headed for the small, clean stone dairy attached to the back wall of her allotment. Once there, she locked herself in, before measuring out the milk she would keep, the milk she would use to make butter, and finally that she would place aside for cheese. That done, she checked the state of a few of the cheeses, finally selecting several that she could take to the market.20

As she stood and churned the butter, she thought about her life as she always did every day. She used the time in the diary to quietly reflect about things - the state of the City, the youth of the day, and whether or not she would conclude all the bargains she needed to make that day.21

With the quarantine, she knew that she would have no problem haggling the best bargains - especially to the proprietors of the businesses that relied on her produce. The tavern in the inn, for instance, usually purchased most of the butter she brought into the markets. With the high number of visitors trapped in the City, the Tavern was the few businesses not complaining about the extra people in the City.22

Once the butter was complete, and the pats wrapped in brown waxed paper, she collected together everything else she would be taking to town in the large woven baskets she used. Though old, she was relatively fit and wiry. After fitting her cowl over her face, she left her cottage with the laden baskets, and slowly made the long walk into the Market Square.23

Edith unhurriedly set up her small stall under one of the many canvas stands around the square. She nodded greetings to other stall-holders as they did the same, before standing back and waiting for passersby to realise that the market was now open for business.24

~~25

Nora sat quietly in her room at home, she had been making potions and other magical healing objects when she had decided she needed a walk. So gathering her staff and channeling some of her power through it she walked out the door and wandered aimlessly through the streets.26

Nora looked toward the tavern, it looked more packed than normal. So she decided maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to go in, she had been needing a good conversation. She had spent to long in her cave-like house. A cool breeze blew as she entered the tavern. The breeze made her long purple dress flow, it was strange though, it was a dead still night but a quick breeze had blown... It baffled Nora, and her hair changed green in confusion. But her hair turned a light blue as she calmed down and walked through the door.27

As Nora walked in, several head turned towards her, but ignoring them she sat down, on her own. She was looking for conversation, but she would wait, perhaps someone would come to her. So she flicked her hair and started using magic to create and manipulate water from her staff...28

~~29

Ambrosia, the well-known town adventurer, was all but stalking the streets in frustrated steps. She mumbled under her breath as she strode up one street and down the next before finally coming to rest outside the tavern.30

When approached about her odd behaviour, she stated flatly, "I hate staying in one spot all the time. This quarantine has kept me from my adventures for far too long."31

Aaron entered the tavern looking for directions. With his wand in his right hand he waved to the man at the counter with his left.32

"G'day mate!" said a fat man at a table. Aaron tightened the grip on his wand. "Come play a few rounds of poker." Aaron realised the man was drunk. He sat down and dealt the cards. He paused for a moment. He had a terrible hand. As the other men placed their bets, Aaron put in the last bit of cash he had left. The drunk man raised 30. The other folded.33

"I'm in." Aaron said. He pulled out his wand and changed his cards to 5 aces under the table. The drunk man laid down his cards.34

"3 kings, and 2 aces." He said.35

"Ooohhh, too bad." Aaron said. He laid his cards down. The drunk man gaped at Aaron's cards. "I'm eating like a king tonight!" Aaron said. Just then, both of his opponents lunged at him. Aaron blasted them away with a powerful blast from his wand. Then four more men came at Aaron. Aaron tripped one who landed on another, then blasted the other two. Aaron noticed that all the other people in the place was staring at him. He also notice someone in the far corner of the bar. It was to dark to tell if the person was a man or woman, but Aaron didn't care. He hi-tailed it outta there.36

Sukie, one of the serving girls, sighed as she cleaned up the mess left behind by the group of men who had been gambling. Usually she was able to get a few extra tips from the lads, especially when they were as drunk as some of them had seemed to be. With all the fuss with the boy, however, the entire group had decided to leave in a hurry, leaving spilled ale on the floor and broken pottery shards.37

Outside, Mathias glanced at the door of the Tavern as it flew open and a young man stumbled out. In his apparent haste, the young man caught his foot on a cobble and fell to a sprawl to the ground, a long wooden stick flying from his hand on impact. As he crawled across the stones to reach for the implement, two drunken men burst from the Tavern, their visages set with scowls as they caught sight of the young man.38

Mathias approached, reaching down to snag the fallen stick just before the young man could. He held it up and squinted at it.39

"A magician, eh?" he asked, looking down at the man.40

The two drunks answered the question first. "He cheated us in a game..."41

Mathias kicked the young man over so that he now lay on his back. "Is tis true, Magician?"42

The young man refused to answer, but groped about in his clothing for something.43

Mathias stilled the hand with his foot. "One would hope you are reaching for the coins you owe these men - otherwise I would find myself somewhat... displeased... at your manners, Magician."44

As he spoke the last, a third man stumbled from the Tavern. Though drunk, he recognized Mathias and came to a stop. Well known in Helmsforth, Mathias was trusted by most folks to keep the peace. Even though he was no affiliated with the garrison officers, they too respected the services he performed for the city - allowing him leeway to deal with the minutiae of life - the petty crimes and keeping general order. A smart man knew not to challenge him.45

The young magician glanced at the piece of wood Mathias held. "Give it back!"46

"Pay the men what you owe them, and I will return your magic stick, or I will..." Mathias grasped both hands of the stick and made to break it.47

The magician winced. "I only played one hand..."48

"Give back what you won by cheating, and then I will allow you to leave." Mathias lifted his boot from the young man's wrist.49

The magician pulled out a handful of coins and threw them at the three drunks, who quickly snatched them from the ground and turned to leave.50

"Perhaps that would be best spent on something more solid," Mathias quipped at the men.51

One turned. "Not going to deliver me home to the missus tonight, Mathias?" the drunk quizzed, grinning.52

"We were given two feet for a reason, Tobias."53

The drunk laughed and then flipped a coin at Mathias. "Thanks be to you."54

Mathias caught the coin and pocketed it as the drunkards returned to the Tavern. He glanced back down at the Magician. "I catch you cheating again, and I'll do more leave you sprawled on the street," he warned.55

The young man rolled to his feet and held out his hand. "My wand."56

Mathias knew better than to hand it to him. He tossed it away down the street. While the young man scurried after it, Mathias made himself scarce.57

Aaron quickly stumbled on a stone in his haste to escape the bar. He dropped his wand when he fell. He tried to reach for it but another person grabbed it.58

"A magician eh?" The person said. The men Aaron had cheated out of cash ran out of the bar and started complaining. Aaron was forced to return his winnings. He stood up.59

"My wand?" He said. Then the man who was holding his wand, tossed it down the street.
"Go get it." He said. Aaron cursed and ran after it. He caught it just before it was eaten by a cow. He could still see the man who threw his wand. He raised it at him.60

"Dommian Sipheria!" Aaron shouted. A bright blue light shot out of the end of his wand and hit the man just before he entered the bar. The man twitched and collapsed. Aaron had stunned him.
"Let's see how much cash you got on you..."61

Being the strong and healthy man he was, the magic merely took the wind from Mathias, and so he waited for the Magician tell-tale footsteps, and the cocky comment that followed when the footsteps stopped.62

Feigning unconsciousness, he allowed the Magician to probe his pockets. When he was certain that the young man was employing both hands rather than just the one, he grabbed one of those hands, while at the same time pushing himself upwards.63

The move caught the young man by surprise.64

Mathias grinned, but the glee on his mouth did not reach his eyes. "I warned you Magician."65

The young man attempted to pull his hand away, but could not prevail. Mathias was the champion of the city after all, and his strength outmatched the young man's petty attempt.66

As the Magician reached for the wand again, Mathias plucked the slim piece of wood from under his fingers.67

"I don't think so," he hissed. "You really need to learn some etiquette, Magician. Using your magic on a man with his back turned and then attempting to rob him is quite poor form. Perhaps I should keep this for now." Mathias placed the slim piece of wood in a deep pocket. He let go of the young man's hand. "Now get out of here before I give you that promised beating!"68

Aaron ran away quickly. His magic had failed him. He lost his wand, and now, he was stuck in the city. He watched as the man who took his wand entered the bar. He pulled out his handbook.
"Yes." He said finding the spell he needed. The hypnotism spell could be preformed by the magicians hands. It works on the strongest of men, the men with the strongest will. He would use it to get his wand back, and maybe some money to. At first, Aaron thought of killing the man who cheated him out of money, and his wand. But he thought that would make him look like the killer of the two dead men he heard about in the bar. He tested the spell on a bystander. It worked. Then he entered the bar and snuck up behind the man who took his wand. The man turned and smacked Aaron across the face.69

"You are most annoying." He said. The man then pulled out Aaron's wand, and snapped it in two.70

"NO!" Aaron screamed. The wand was now broken, and the Dark Entity inside it was now released, but only Aaron knew...71

Aaron ran from the bar as fast as possible, with a panicked look on his face. His wand was the prison of a most deadly force. The entity would haunt Aaron until the end of time. Aaron needed to find his master outside the walls...72

"I got it," he said, "I have to go back and get the pieces." Aaron turned and was smacked across the face by a dark faceless figure, only sorcerers could see. The monster leaned forward to kill Aaron.73

"Help me, please!!"74

The creature grabbed Aaron by the throat. It lifted him up. People walking by were astounded at Aaron's "performance." Aaron pulled out his hand book.75

"RUMTALION!" he screamed. He vanished and reappeared in the tavern He tackled the man who broke the wand and ran. He retrieved the pieces of the wand and put them together, taped them, and sealed the creature away, before passing out...76

Ambrosia continued to sit outside the tavern, staring at the sky, wishing she could leave the town. She heard a calamity inside, but decided not to venture beyond the doors. She peeked in through the window and watched a young man tackle Mathias before bursting out of the room.77

She followed the young man, having learnt many ways of following things without being noticed. He taped his wand and collapsed on the floor. She scoffed at his madness.78

"This will not do," she stated.79

She grabbed his leg, slung him over her shoulder, and carried him back toward the local guard station. Explaining the boy's attack on Mathias, she left him there.80

He was placed in one of the cells under supervision, his wand confiscated and his hands tied behind his back. With two dead town guards, the rest of the guard force was not taking this boy lightly. Magic had to have been involved in those deaths - the men were hearty and sturdy. This boy's antics were all-too-noticeable.81

Aaron awoke in a prison cell.82

"What the?" he said. His hands were tied around his back. He had been captured. He thought of the spell he used to get away from the entity.83

"Rumtalion." He vanished and reappeared in his hut outside the city. His back-up wand lay on the table. Aaron was about to pick it up when it vanished.84

"Master." Aaron said... 85

An entity rose over Aaron threateningly, hands reaching out to touch flesh. Aaron cringed back from the deadly touch and cringed in a corner. 86

"I beg of you master, Please!" The entity touched Aaron...87

Aaron jerked awake, finding himself still in the prison cell.88

~~89

Alexander Siberian Rafeal was a member of the prestigious Rafeal family of magicians and sorcerers. Alexander, however, was not a sorcerer. He had taken his family practice to a new level: alchemy.90

His father was highly displeased with this, though his mother was happy for him to find something he enjoyed. Earlier that day, Alex and his father had engaged in a heated argument over Alex's science.91

That was why he was now at the tavern, carefully slipping his way past the drunkards to reach the bar.92

"And what'll you have, Alex?" the bartender asked.93

"Black ale, Keep," he replied.94

Keep chuckled, "'Nother one of those days?"95

"Indeed."96

Keep brought him the drink and Alex took a long sip. He looked around the room and just barely spotted Albiana in the corner. Shrouded in the darkness of the tavern, she seemed more like a ghost than a woman.97

He raised his hand to her and moved to her table. 98

Albiana La Faye sat patiently in the darkest corner of the tavern, her back to the fire that crackled and roared within the confines of the stone hearth. Her delicate, pallid hand rested over the top of a steaming mug of hot mulled cider, blocking any additions the patrons might have seen fit to make to otherwise take advantage of her blindness. She felt a tug as her ferret, Loki, scrambled up the leg of her trousers and settled on her knee, chirping contentedly. She scratched between the animal’s ears with her free hand as she quirked her head slightly, listening intently to the two men at the table a little to her left.99

She shook her head slowly as Loki crawled up to perch on her shoulder, hissing in the men’s general direction. Bad news, as always. Albiana listened closely as they recounted the tale of how two of the local authorities had been found, both dead, both murdered during their respective watches. God rest their souls. News in this town was rarely good anymore and the darkness that thrived there seemed somehow more ominous than the plague itself. Yes, she’d heard about that too, but her sightless eyes had never been witness to the horrors of the disease.100

Shifting somewhat, she moved her staff a little closer to her left leg, positioning it between herself and the men on whom she had been eavesdropping. She was not particularly the trusting kind, but she had good reason to be the way she was. Her albinism had long made her the victim; that was something she had grown used to, and a fact of life she could do little to remedy. Instead, she made do with the senses that she had. Moving her right hand, she took a sip from her cider, listening now, instead, to the rain that poured outside and trickled down the cracked pane of the window a little to her right.101

The distinct sound of the tavern’s door opening drew her attention from the rain as it swung open on ancient old hinges that squealed with protest. Heavy footsteps entered followed by the high shatter of breaking glass and a chorus of raucous laughter.102

It was going to be, it seemed, one of those days. . . 103

"Mind if I sit with you?" Alex asked. "Seems everyone else is too intoxicated to hold a pleasurable conversation."104

Albiana glanced in the direction of Alexander’s voice with icy blue eyes so pale they were almost clear, like raindrops falling from a sunlit sky. She listened to the rustle of his clothing and felt it as he bumped into the table just slightly. He was asking her, she was certain of it. All she could see of the man was a slight, blurry outline. She nodded, pulling her mug closer to herself. On her shoulder, Loki hissed. “You may sit,” she replied quietly.105

The woman shifted slightly, discreetly sniffing the air. The faintest tinge of alcohol reached her nose; he was drinking, but not intoxicated. That was more than she could ask of most of the patrons. As she moved, her stark white hair glimmered in the light of the fire, like sunlight on early autumn frost. “Everyone else seems to come here for the sole purpose of getting intoxicated,” she added, nodding almost imperceptibly to his drink, where she heard its contents slosh somewhat. “What brings you here?”106

Alexander sat down and sighed, "Trying to take off the edge of the day. A sip enough to calm the nerves, not enough to dull the senses."107

At this, he took a drink. "And you? Surely there are other dark places you can sit in that offer better company."108

At the sight of a man rushing out of the tavern, Alex simply stared. Mathias was a good, sturdy man - he could handle a simple magician. 109

Albiana tilted her head ever so slightly as she listened to Alexander’s answer to her question. “Sometimes more sober men do not take my uniqueness in stride,” she offered innocently. She meant, of course, her albinism. Her clear blue eyes did not hold the traditional cloudiness of those afflicted with blindness. There were some colors and blurs that she could still make out, but because albinism affected the development of her eyes, they did not magnify properly, leaving her sense of vision mostly useless.110

Alex offered a half-grin that she could not see. "Oddities abound in nature. Most men prefer to ignore them, but I have made a habit of working with them."111

Albiana frowned ever so slightly, listening intently to the young magician’s antics. She heard it as outside he stumbled followed by somewhat raised voices. She shook her head. It seemed that violence and chaos were the natural states of man.112

~~113

Victoria sat in the park awaiting a message from one of her friends, a very sneaky squirrel.114

She waited for around twenty minutes. when finally Aldous came scurrying back, "What's the news?"115

After hearing about the two guards being killed she decided that now was a good a time as ever to get to know the town and it's people.116

Tavern117

After a long walk around the town she found herself outside a tavern, she never went into taverns after the last time but she had a little hope someone in here wasn't drunk enough to carry on a good conversation. Once inside she spotted a lady and a man siting by a fireplace. She strolled over, seeing only one free chair she asked the lady and man politely if she could sit down there. He nodded his head in a yes and she sat down.118

Albiana looked attentively to her left as lighter footsteps approached their table and a female voice asked permission to sit. On her shoulder the ferret, Loki, hissed, his tiny tail fur poofing out, and she instinctively pulled her half-empty mug closer to her bosom.119

"Thank you" She said. "I'm glad to see someones not completely drunk. Oh! How rude I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Victoria Poole. I usually spend my time in the forest out of town but I recently visited a friend, meeting them in the park, a few days. I of course didn't know I'd get stuck in this town. What's your names, and how did you guys get stuck in this quarantine?" She said smiling hoping that would light the mood a little. Then she noticed the clouded look in the girls eyes and made a note not to ask, she'd been around 2 other blind people in her life and a dog.120

An energetic young woman, no doubt, Alex thought and replied, "I'm not stuck here. I live here. I rarely have reason to leave."121

“I am Albiana,” the woman said in response to Victoria's question. “I was born and raised in this town; it would seem there is not much for me to ‘see’ outside of it.”122

Albiana bristled a bit, the tiny hairs raising on the back of her neck as yet another set of footsteps approached to come up behind Alexander. It was a woman’s voice that spoke. She felt it as Loki scrambled down and scampered off across the bar; he would be back later with whatever shiny baubles caught his fancy. 123

Andi came up behind Alexander. "Hi there. What's been going on?" She'd been stuck in her home sick for about a week and was only just now feeling up to leaving her home. It was her anemia acting up.124

"This table is getting crowded," Alex joked.125

"Crowded indeed." Sukie swayed her hips into Alexander's vicinity and gave him a flirtatious glance before looking at the two girls who had joined the table. "An what'll you have?"126

Albiana smiled slightly, but the gesture showed clearly her discomfort. Being so different, she was uncomfortable with the nearness of this crowd of perfect strangers. The fact that she could not see them made her vulnerable. She drank deep from her mug, finishing the last of the cider before it could cool completely, but remained in her corner, her left hand still grasping her staff.127

“It is indeed getting crowded,” she replied to Alexander’s comment. 128

As Sukie began to take their order, the boy from earlier appeared in the Tavern and brought one of the other customers to the floor before running out once again. The man lay groaning and Sukie's hands flew to her mouth.129

"I'll get those drinks to you in a minute." she mumbled before hurrying off.130

Albiana cocked her head slightly, listening to Sukie and then to the groaning of the man on the floor. Her smile became a grimace. This was far too much for this early in the day. If she ventured out, the sunlight would burn her skin and only cause pain in her highly sensitive eyes; figures and details she might not notice, but bright lights she could and they hurt which was why she sat now in this crowded corner, in the darkest part of the tavern. 131

Kneeling beside the man who had just been knocked down, Sukie's eyes flew open wide. It was not often that someone successfully brought down this man. "Mathias, are you alright?" she helped him up. "Can I get you anything? Who was that boy?"132

Alexander stared at the tackled Mathias for a moment, stunned by the strange event he'd just witnessed. Then, he made his way over to the man.133

"I'm fine," Mathias replied curtly. "He just took me by surprise. Not used to people appearing out of thin air."134

Mathias waved off everyone and picked himself up.135

Albiana heard the distinct scrape of Alexander’s chair as he rose and crossed to Mathias, then heard his footsteps return and the legs of the chair scrape against the floor again as he returned to his seat.136

Alex, knowing Mathias enough to know not to pester him, retreated back to Albiana's table.137

Hearing the cockiness in Mathias’ voice, though, she only shook her head. It was that cocky confidence that would be his undoing, eventually. With people like that, it always was.138

"That was entertaining," Alex stated. "In it's own way, of course."139

Ammie entered the tavern . After ordering a flagon of cider and something to eat, Helmsforth's resident adventurer and his occasional sparring partner called out to Mathias.140

"The boy has been captured, he waits in prison. I assumed you would like to 'speak' with him." 141

Taking a sip of the cider he nodded at Ambrosia's statement. "Better for him to be there than for me to beat him seven hells past next Sunday," he quipped.142

She smiled. 143

Mathias waved her over to him and she came and sat beside him. 144

"You heard about those two garrison officers?"145

She nodded. "The City grows restless."146

Ammie mulled over the idea of chasing criminals. Being stuck in town had become an overbearing burden for her, and she needed her adventure.147

She glanced over at Mathias. "I think I shall accept the challenge. If only for the thrill of the chase." 148

He grunted. As long as people stayed calm, they could weather this trouble. If not, he knew he'd be very busy over the coming weeks - as would any one else that wanted to ensure the people in the city remain safe. "I'll see about our Magician friend later. For now, I need sustenance. Will you join me for a cider?" 149

Nora was still chuckling to herself. A young boy, clearly a wizard had suddenly zapped into the tavern Nora was still in, then he had been carted off to prison.
He has much to learn, I wounder why he had looked so frightened when he came here though... Shrugging off the idea Nora got up and walked out of the tavern. It was time to head home and make more potions, she needed them. So many people were sick, not just from the plague. Nora was expected to heal all those infected by a disease, except for the plague. No one could find a cure for that. But Nora still tried. With that she walked out the door.150

Margitte Sansheer chose this moment to slide down the banister from the upstairs rooms where she was currently staying. Riding the flat, polished edge off, she landed on her feet in the rushes. Her dark brown double braids flopped onto her shoulders, their black leather wraps slapping against her blue tabard. Beneath it, she wore a custom-made bustier that moved with her, while still covering her more than adequately, in a battle-sense. She had no intention of adding scars to that particular part of her anatomy.151

"Seven hells," she cursed cheerfully, "looks like I missed the fun." She sauntered over to the bar, where Sukie greeted her with a familiar nod and served her up a cider.152

Sipping it absentmindedly, Marg let her eyes drift across the current crowd.153

A woman she vaguely recognized was talking with the Pale One, Albiana. Alexander and Andi were there, too.
Albiana heard the distinct woosh of wood and creak of leather as one of the other upstairs residents slid her way down the banister. She sensed the woman’s look and stared back boldly, although she couldn’t see her. She knew she was there. 154

She took another mouthful. Ahh, there. Her eyes lit on Mathias and Ammie. She smiled at the memories the sight of him evoked in her mind from her extended visit to Helmsforth last year. She'd been too busy this trip to seek him out, but now he'd popped into the inn's tavern on his own.155

She made her way over to them. "Don't let me interrupt for long," she began, her cheek dimpling at them both. "I just wanted to let Mathias know I'm back in town on assignment," she said, addressing herself to Ammie. 156

Turning to the handsome defender, she said, "In case you see someone bolting across the rooftops again, in the dark of night. It might be me." She flicked her eyebrows at him and grinned at his response.157

Then she directed her full attention to Ammie. "As for you, I hear you're quite the adventurer here in town." She eyed the girl's posture and carriage with a cock of her head. She certainly looked capable. "Since we're all stuck here in town for a while, and you know this place better than I do, I have a proposition for you. If you're interested, that is. I'm looking for a thief-slash-killer with a rather large bounty on his head. That bounty can be partly yours, if you lend me a hand. 158

"Don't answer yet," she forestalled Ammie's reply with a hand and a smile. "Think it over. This isn't the kind of adventure where you traipse out for trinkets. I'm after a desperate man who's stolen a magical item, and isn't afraid to use it. He needs to be caught sooner, rather than later, for everyone's sakes. If that's your kind of fun, let me know."159

She rested a hand on Mathias' shoulder a moment, momentarily pressing a slight ridge of scar tissue beneath his shirt. "I've got a possible lead right now, so I'm heading out, but I'm open to swapping more scar stories later, if you've time," she said, her turquoise eyes meeting his hazel ones with a saucy smirk before sauntering out into the streets.160

Albiana listened with only half an ear to the conversation that ensued and soon tuned it out completely. She could have cared less about the bounty on that thief and killer.
At the table Alex sighed. "Well, I'll need to be get home before I am too incapacitated to work."161

He bid his farewells to the ladies and slipped out of the seat, leaving the coinage for his drink at the bar.162

Albiana listened as Alexander bid his farewells and returned one of her own as the man departed from their table. After a moment she heard the door swing open again and heavy footsteps as Merlin entered. She knew his rumbling voice, but not him personally. She simply knew the man was one of the regular patrons.163

At her feet, Loki returned, scrambling up to her knee and nuzzling her hand affectionately. Opening her palm, she welcomed the ferret, not at all surprised when the cunning little animal dropped two coins in her hand from between his teeth. She felt them carefully for value and pocketed them wordlessly. She stroked the creature’s head and then hoisted him onto her shoulder.164

Bidding farewell to the other ladies at the table, she left her now-empty mug where it was and departed upstairs, feeling each step with her staff. The tavern, it seemed, was going to be full of excitement; she could tolerate a nap in her own meager room until the sun went down and she could safely venture outside these walls. 165

Merlin sauntered in looking like a thundercloud but no one noticed. Everyone was pretty much shaken because of the murders, and no one really suspected that his angry look could be for something else.
But it was. He was thinking about the young man he had just seen taken away to prison. He looked a bit too disturbing to him. 166

"Aw c'mon Merlin," the man cleaning the tables said. "Why should it bother you? Whichever fella killed those guards is going to get a good dose of the plague, so in in a few days he'll be too sick to kill anyone."167

" Oh really?"Merlin shot back. "You still seem to be alive."168

"We magic ones do seem to enjoy a lot of immunity, don't we?" the bartender said, a gleam in his eye. Merlin shot down a pang of fear-he didn't know how it appeared. He huffed and sat down on a stool.169

"I hate this town. I hate this place, and all the damned people over here," he muttered. He angrily called Sukie. 170

"Get me a beer girl, and if you delay I'll ask him to cut money from your pay!" he yelled.171

"What's up with him," she wondered.172

Sukie hurried over to Merlin and served him the ale. Usually he was in a better mood than this and she could coax some extra coins out of him but something told her today was not the day to try. Instead, she wandered over to Mathias's table.173

"You seem to be back to par." She raked him with a bold look. "But then, who can get our brave Mathias down for more than a second?" Sukie shot him a flirtatious smile before turning to his companion. "And what can I get you dear?"174

After Merlin had drunk his ale, he felt better. He felt bad for not tipping Suki, but the way she seemed to be flirting with Mathias, he was sure she would get some coins.175

Meanwhile, the mysterious bartender had disappeared. Merlin decided to exit the tavern, and find out what the other magicians were up to.176

~~177

Andi walked around the marketplace after leaving the Tavern. She was off on her own to get some of the things she'd need for food. Living on her own was a bit rough when she didn't feel like fixing anything.178

She looked around the square, curious as to what was going on. It seemed a bit off today for some reason. 179

Sabrina shifted the wide, shallow basket on her hip. On a piece of red silk, a variety of trinkets and polished stones glimmered in the soft sunlight. She smiled at everyone as they passed - some smiled back, but others just kept walking.180

She and her father had been stuck in the City since the quarantine, after they had come in a few weeks ago to sell their crop of wheat, corn and potatoes. They stayed in the back of a horse-drawn caravan (a covered wagon), with the remainder of their dwindling produce stored in the front section.181

They had sold most of the wheat when they first arrived. Now, as the City continued in its state of being locked away from the remainder of the country, the demand for the corn and potatoes had risen and her father now was careful of the price which he sold it for. 182

When they spoke about the situation the night before, he grinned when he mentioned that this trip would be their most profitable - if they could survive the quarantine. He scoffed at her selection of knickknacks and polished stones, but Sabrina didn't care if she sold them or not. She mostly just loved being in the marketplace to chat with people.183

Sabrina watched the different vendors - some selling fresh produce, and others selling other wares. She walked in amongst the milling crowd, turning the basket to catch people's eyes. Most shook their heads, but sometimes someone would stop and look. 184

~~185

"I HAD A REASON FOR ATTACKING HIM!"Aaron shouted at the guard in the Prison. The guard merely laughed. Aaron had been imprisoned for attacking the man.186

"Rumtalion!" he screamed...187

Nothing. Just then, Aaron's master entered the prison. He explained everything. When the guard refused to believe, Aaron's master released the entity. The guard fainted. Aaron's master destroyed the creature and escorted Aaron out, followed by a long lecture. 188

~~189

At home Nora got to work making potions with healing herbs; she boiled several herbs, and crushed the rest. Then she mixed several together making many healing potions, for all the cures of diseases she had run out of. Then hours later, she started to experiment with other herbs trying to find a cure to the plague. But, like every other day, it was a failure... Sighing, Nora then decided to make some extra potions; a few more in stock couldn’t hurt... 190

Once Nora had finished she dozed off for a while, all her potion making had left her tired and sore...191

~~192

Alex's home, the Maplewood Estate, was truly part of family heritage, a part he had been given by his grandmother. Though his father disapproved of him, he could not take away the house.193

It was fancy, and yet modest. A single story stone-and-mortar building with five rooms. The largest had been converted into Alex's work place, full of trinkets and papers and various other objects that one could not describe.194

It was here that he felt at peace. At least until his father arrived.195

Alex retreated to his study and retrieved his notes from earlier. 196

Research notes in hand, Alex sighed. He was working on producing a new medicine from roots and stems of known medical herbs. So far, he'd been unsuccessful.197

All of the alchemic creations had turned out more like mulch than medicine.198

"What am I do wrong?" he asked himself aloud. "I have my signs properly drawn, the materials are arranged in accordance to potency... aha."199

He moved back to the table where he was working and rearranged the plants, mixing them up as best he could. "Perhaps a sprinkle of random selection will make a difference."200

Dusting off his hands, he placed his fingers on the hand-drawn lines that formed angular shapes around the plants. He closed is eyes and breathed deep. The lines flashed dimly and the plants were engulfed in violet flames.201

The fire lasted a few moments only, and when it cleared, a mound of ash remain. Alex brushed aside the ash to discover a small, singular seed.202

"Interesting," he mused. "Perhaps a little magic will make this grow."203

~~204

When Nora woke up she decided she would sell some of her potions at the markets. It was Sunday after all, and almost all the villagers shop on Sunday to get supplies for the following week. It was like an unofficial rule of Helmsforth. Then Nora got to work getting her supplies and she then walked out the door.205

In the marketplace Nora set up her store quickly and got to selling her potions. 206

~~207

Aaron's lecture had lasted three hours followed by confiscation of his handbook. Aaron had experienced madness during his fuss for money and food. He decided to head to the market to buy something cheap.
The market wasn't as packed as Aaron had presumed. He decided to buy a loaf of bread and check into an inn. He had very little change. 208

"Hmmmm." Aaron said. A potion stand, which Aaron believed it to be, had just opened shop. He walked over.209

"S'cuse me miss, are these potions you are selling?"... 210

"Greetings Aaron," Nora chirped, she knew the names of pretty much everybody in the town. "I have healing potions today, just like most Sundays, are you needing anything in particular?" Nora smiled "You can bet I have a healing potion right here for any disease, except... The plague, I'm sorry I haven't found a cure yet but, anything else? Any illness You can treat with my potions so, anything in particular?" 211

"Do you have any potions for healing broken bones?" Aaron asked. The woman handed Aaron a small bottle with a pink potion inside. Aaron thanked her and gave her a handful of coins before departing.212

Aaron was going to bring the potion to an injured dog he spotted when he entered the city. The pup had two broken legs and a broken tail.213

At the park, Aaron gave the pup a drop of the potion and it was as good as new.214

"Thank you." said the dog. 215

"Holy crud!" Aaron shouted rather loudly... 216

~~217

Leah ran into town, scurrying from one market to the other looking for her Master's demanded items. She needed to prepare his lunch, and she needed to do it soon.218

She'd taken the money he'd given her to use - just enough to buy food, not enough to buy freedom - and rushed off.219

The market square was quieter than usual, the hustle and bustle that typically filled the block was more like a scattering of nesting pigeons today.220

She paused for a moment at one of the fruit carts. 221

Dav, a fruit seller with a squint in his eye, called a hello to Leah. She hurried over and they began haggling for his wares. Once they had reached an agreement that satisfied them both, Leah made to hurry away but was stopped for a moment. "You take care of yourself, you hear?" Dav whispered, slipping into her hands some pats he had bought from Edith for his own lunch. "Things are happening. You take care."
Leah nodded quietly and accepted the gift, tucking into her apron pocket and away from prying eyes. She deposited the money, took the effects, and scurried back to her Lord's manor. She had heard he townspeople speaking of the two murders the previous evening, the two guards killed at their posts.222

It was a serious business, killing guards, one she did not intend to get involved in. While pretending to ignore the voices around her, she took a weaving route back to the manor. It was after she turned onto the third street that she realized someone was following her.223

She hurried along faster, keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings. With every turn she took, the stalker continued to come. She broke into a run only to hear the sound of his heavy footsteps behind her. As she passed another cart, she stumbled over one of the cobbles and fell, spilling her Lord's basket.224

When she turned to look, the follower was gone. 225

~~226

Alex took the seed and made his way into the market. He found Edith's booth.227

"Edith," he said gaily, "look what I have found."228

She examined the seed and asked, "What is it?"229

"I think it's a cure for the plague. But, I need to know if it can be made into a medicine as a seed or as a plant." 230

Edith rolled the seed around in her fingers while her remaining eye remained sharply focused on Alex. "Unusual," she muttered as she felt the surface of the seed. "And unnatural."231

Alex leaned closer and spoke again. "Granted. But perhaps this could be the cure this City needs."232

Edith dropped her eye to the seed. She could see some of the characteristics from a variety of different plants in its size, texture and colour. "Depending on the alignment of the plants when you combined them, the seed will have different healing properties. It would be best if it is planted and grown. That way you will have the plant and its seeds, rather than this single one."233

She handed it back to him. "Plant it as the full moon wanes gibbous in soil from the roadways of the City. That way the seedling will remain tune with the inhabitants here."234

Alex nodded. 235

"Water it with morning dew only. Anything else will kill it," Edith said ominously, her words a warning.236

She picked up a wrapped cheese. "In exchange for our usual, Alex?" 237

Alex smiled. "Yes, that sounds fair. Don't worry, I shall keep it safe and well-fed. Rest assured, if this is a cure, it shall find its way."238

He accepted the seed back as well as the wrapped cheese. "Mm," he breathed. "My favorite. As always, I savor yours above any other, Edith."239

"I must admit, I have had trouble finding a transformation that would work. It was by random selection that this came to be. It likely will cure something. I just haven't the slightest cue as to what. But, perhaps, someone watches over us."240

He withdrew a glass bottle of silver liquid. "This should aid the joints. It is an ointment meant to loosen stiff joints. I hope it fairs you well."241

Just then, he noticed Leah, a local servant, scurrying along one of the paths. She tripped and fell over, spilling out her basket. Alex rushed to her side.242

"Are you alright?" he asked, not expecting an answer. He did not receive on as she looked around, as if searching for someone.243

He retrieved her dropped items and handed them back to her. "A bit dirty, but none the worse for wear."244

Marg watched from her hidden alcove as Leah fled below in the nearly-empty street. She was not the one Marg was looking for, but the shadowy figure who trailed her...the bounty hunter squinted, slipping silently from her perch. 245

Descending to the street by way of the alley downspout chain attached to the gargoyle's tongue, she landed softly and waited until the figure abandoned its chase of the girl, when Alex stopped to help her retrieve her spilled items. 246

Leah quickly took back her items and paused only a moment to whispered a thank you to Alex. She hardly knew him, but she knew his reputation as an alchemist, and knew his family. She hurried away, ignoring the eyes that were on her.247

Alex watched the girl run off. 248

As the shadow retreated, Marg gave chase, slowly, surely gaining on her target. The streets turned and twisted, and she ended up in an unfamiliar part of town. 249

The tiny hairs at the back of her neck suddenly pricked, and she dodged into an alley, tucking and rolling back to her feet, hands drawing a short sword and dagger. She pressed her back to the cool stone wall of an apothecary's shop and breathed as silently as she could. 250

Out on the street, the quiet, hurried footsteps of one who strove for silence pattered by. A blade sang out of its sheath. Marg pressed herself back among a stack of old barrels, peeking around the edge. 251

Her eyes widened. Two figures conversed; one was clearly the person she had followed; the other...looked familiar.252

This probably had nothing to do with her bounty hunting, but these were her friends here in Helmsforth; she didn't want any harm to come to them unnecessarily...she slipped out the other end of the alley and returned to the tavern. 253

254

~~255

Nora had followed Aaron to the park, leaving her store magically protected quickly, she was astonished by the talking dog.256

Aaron thought he was still being struck with madness for a moment. "Hummina..." He sputtered.257

"Is everything all right?" asked the pup. Aaron didn't know if he should scream or wet himself.
"I don't know if this matters to you or not, but I know who killed those two guards." said the dog. Aaron was baffled. 258

"WHO?" Aaron said. Loudly. 259

"His name is--ARFF!" An arrow pierced the pup's side at that moment. Aaron looked up and saw a shadowy figure run behind a shop. Aaron was angered beyond angered. 260

"Aaron! Hang on, I brought several potions with me, I can heal the wound hang on!" Nora called out. Aaron looked quite startled. She ran over and healed the wound, but the dog stayed unconscious.261

"The arrow had poison on the tip... Aaron do you mind if I took this pup home, I might be able to heal him, but, the poison wasn't any kind of poison... It was a poison that changes the way you're tongue moves, so I don't think the pup will ever speak again, but there is a chance... So, again do you mind if I take him home? I might be able to do something..."262

Aaron thought, then he opened his mouth to reply. 263

"I think that's a good idea. Maybe I can fix his tongue" Aaron said pulling out his back up wand. He pointed it at the dogs snout. 264

"Helpious-voice!" Aaron's wand tip emitted a white light and the dog sputtered the name it was going to say but Aaron could not hear it.265

"Did you get that?" Aaron asked 266

"No, I don't think his tongue will ever get better... Because, I will be keeping him, do you want to make a name for him... But make haste, I must get back to my stall. Then I will go home and treat him, but. I think it's appropriate you choose his name." 267

Aaron thought for a moment. 268

"I'll call him Lucky." He said. "Thank you for helping miss-uh..."269

"Nora." Said the woman. 270

"Poor little guy." Aaron said, patting the pup on the head. Lucky regained consciousness 271

"Can you still speak boy?" Aaron thought he'd try once more.272

'Woof'273

Aaron cursed loudly.274

"Take good care of him Nora." Aaron pleaded. 275

"I will," she replied carrying Lucky off. Aaron didn't know why, but he had felt an emotion he'd not felt in years-Love. He felt love toward the dog. 276

Nora, with Lucky at her side packed up her stall at the Marketplace, she had to go home and see what she could do for Lucky. So quickly she packed up her stall and left...277

At home, Nora then got to work trying to fix Lucky's tongue Once she had got close, Lucky had mumbled something. Then clearer he said something, it sounded like he was saying he was happy with her, but it was slurred, and quite growly so it was to hard to interpret. Wherever she went, he went too. Even though they could not talk, they had connected. They did everything together...278

After trying to heal his tongue for quite awhile she eventually gave up and crawled in bed, Lucky then jumped up and lay down next to her head.279

It's good to have a companion now, it's not so lonely... That was her last thought before sleep closed over... 280

~~281

Merlin first headed to Nora's stall in the Marketplace, but he didn't spot her. Instead his gaze wandered to her potions. He did feel tempted to study them. Everyone in the town seemed to behave coldly with him-he doubted whether Nora, despite all her sweetness, would be any different. It wasn't like she was going to hand it over to him if he asked...282

Then he noticed her at a distance tending to a young man's puppy. How could he cheat her? He was planning to return it anyways, but it would still be wrong.283

He sighed, and headed to his castle-or the ruins of it. The walls had started eroding, and it didn't look as intimidating as it was earlier.284

He started humming a gloomy tune his mother had taught him, the last memory of her his mind had managed to preserve.285

"Old man, growing soft with time,
Beware of the shadows, they might be your friends,
be aware of your enemies, or you might meet your end,
you never know-"286

His heart skipped a beat as he saw a shadow cast upon one of the walls. Was it the bartender? Merlin stepped forward cautiously, a lump in his throat. His stick was raised, his hands shaking and then-
He stopped in his tracks. Marg! How stupid he could be ?! 287

"I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else," he mumbled.288

"Excuse me?" Marg said, turning around. 289

~~290

Inside her Lord's manor, Leah and the other servants rushed about in typical busybody fashion to prepare His meal. Dinner was to be served in exactly twelve minutes, and tardiness was not tolerated in Grandwithe Lordship Manor.291

Leah had been the brunt end of the whip for such offenses before and had no intentions of feeling the leather on her back again. She worked harder and faster than any of the other servants, but they never failed her.292

With four minutes to spare, the meal was finally completed and the serving team was ready. The bell rang and the silver platters were delivered to the table. Leah was the fourth server on the left side. Her Master was at the head of the table, of course, and his guests were positioned at various seats around the massive oak table.293

She counted thirty heads. Nearly twice as many as the last dinner party. She didn't really care who was coming to the party, though she knew each of the them by name an association. She was simply practicing her counting.294

With the party in full swing, her Lord entered the kitchen and said, obviously full of wine and being overly generous, "You five," he gestured over Leah, "may go into town and enjoys yourselves. Go."295

She did not wait to be told again. Leah scampered into the town square with a wide smile on her face. 296

~~297

The friendly atmosphere of the inn was broken suddenly as a group of threatening-looking guards entered through the door. Looking around, the one in the led spotted Mathias and sauntered over to his table. "Um sorry to do this to ya," He said apologetically, "But ah need ya to come with us all quiet-like."298

"Of course, is there anything I can do for you?" Mathias rose out of his chair and asked politely, a puzzled look on his face. 299

"Yur bein' arrested. Um sorry Mathias but orders is order." The man motioned to the other guards and they took Mathias in custody, leading him out the door as he watched. 300

Upstairs in Albiana's own room, she twitched slightly in her sleep and sat upright, briskly brushing the frosty white strands of hair from her face. She listened intently, her breathing slow and quiet. Beside her, Loki hissed and she stroked the ferret. Sometimes due to her blindness she had what felt like a sixth sense. At the moment, that sense was warning her of trouble.301

Quietly she crept down the hall to the stairs. Below her, she heard Mathias rise from his seat and politely ask the guards what it was they wanted. It sounded as if he might go quietly. 302

Then she heard the guard issue the order of arrest and the shuffle of feet as they escorted the man out the door. 303

From a velvet pouch that hung around her neck, she withdrew a smoky-quartz pendulum. She held it by its chain. 'Greetings, crystal, for it is always polite to say hello,' she thought. Gradually she felt the pendulum begin a slow clockwise circle, a movement she knew from experience meant yes. 'Thank you, crystal,' she thought silently. Testing it, 'I am a dog.' 304

The pendulum's movements slowed until they came to an abrupt stop, then, it simply swung back and forth, left to right. A firm no. 'Good,' she thought to it. 'Is Mathias to be hanged?'305

She waited. The pendulum swung to a stop again, then gave a shudder and resumed its slow clockwise circle. Albiana shook her head slightly; the man hadn't seemed like that much trouble. 'Thank you, crystal,' she thought again, and stuffed the pendulum back into its pouch.306

Feeling with her staff she ventured back downstairs into the tavern. Behind her, Loki bounded down the stairs and scrambled up the outside of her clothing to sit on her shoulder once more. She paused, listening to the conversations around her. Surely someone would be able to answer the questions founded by her own curiosity.
Andi wandered into the tavern. She didn't quite understand why they were taking Mathias in. He'd never seemed the type to murder anyone. But who was she to say? It wasn't her place to judge what was right or wrong. 307

~~308

As the stalls for the Market during the day started to close down, vendors started to arrive and set up in the Copper Penny District, the home of Helmsforth's Night Market. Out on Perfume Street, upper doors opened to balconies and lower ones to narrow stairs as the ladies of the night got ready for their finest hours. Of course, they were only a small part of the Night Market.309

If you were ever in need of something, legal or otherwise, the Night Market was the place to get it. People of varying social backgrounds and ethical standards mingled here. Stalls of dragonbone powder and heart's fire coexisted next to those of brightly coloured scarves and ivory figurines. The intersection of Perfume street and Copper Penny Way, where lay the heart of the market teemed with petty thieves and even pettier whores who couldn't afford a space to their business in. Here people were sold as easily as trinkets.310

All was watched over by certain high families and their bands of thugs. The Guards had very little jurisdiction here, fearing to enter lest they might not return. Mixed in with all the crime and shady dealings were travelers to the city by the bushel. Illegal as it was, the Night Market was one of the main attractions of Helmsforth and was always full. 311

~~312

As the sun fell and the moon rose, Sabrina cooked a meal for herself and her father. They sat now just outside of the caravan, on a quiet side street, embers glowing in the cast iron brazier they used to keep the chill of the night air away. 313

She told him of her day in the market and of all the people she observed going about their business.314

"Two guards arrested the City's defender, frog-marched him away to the City Hall," she said and she waved away a mosquito.315

"Is that so?" he father replied.316

"There was gossip - two guards - killed brutally. There seems to be a lot of people congregating around the Tavern, maybe if we go..."317

"We get our news like we've always done Sabrina. We watch and we listen."318

"But..."319

"I'm not permitting out in this night, especially not anywhere near the City square. I've seen the people that roam this place a night - they would like nothing more than to take advantage of a kind girl like yourself."320

Sabrina sat back in her chair and pouted. "I'm old enough!"321

"That may be true, but how will you defend yourself should you need to?"322

Sabrina pulled a tiny pewter knife from her bag. "I can use this."323

Her father laughed. "A dagger held in the hands of a naive maiden? What is your intent - to anger an attacker more?"324

Sabrina tucked the knife in the bag again and crossed her arms. He father never understood. She didn't see the harm in just going to the Tavern to see what else she could find out.325

~~326

In the Market, Alex sighed and tucked the seed into his pocket and headed back toward his house. As he reached the edge of the main street, he saw Mathias being escorted from the tavern by a group of town guards.327

Surprised, Alex inquired, "What's going on?"328

The guards regarded Alex distantly. The lead replied, "Guard biz'ness. Sorry, but Um can' say no more."329

They led Mathias away and Alex continued to stare in confusion. 330

Aaron saw Mathias being escorted off. He felt happy and guilty at the same time. At least now, he could cheat some cash off some drunk suckers with no problem... 331

The sun began to slip toward the horizon and Alex was already late getting home. He had more work to do, more experiments he needed to finish. And beyond that, he needed some answers. Two dead guards and one imprisoned man. The numbers added up, but the information didn't.332

Mathias had been a close friend of Alex's for several years. Never had he made so much as a stir of trouble. Something was wrong in Helmsforth, something that burrowed under the surface.333

An alchemist was to use the elements of nature. By so doing, he would uncover secrets hidden below the surface. Alex smiled to himself. "Time to start digging," he mumbled. 334

As Alex walked towards home, a band of young boisterous men caught up to him. Witnessing the arrest at the tavern, they had roved forward in search of mischief, safe in the knowledge there was no Mathias to keep them in line. Coming upon Alexander, they fell on him, demanding his purse in slurred voices. Having turned to alchemy instead of his family's traditional trade, Alexander was not able to protect himself using magic and there were far too many to fight alone. Alex let up a cry, hoping it would draw the guard. Nearby, Merlin and Margitte looked up from their conversation at the noise.335

~~336

Aaron slept in a tree that night. He tried to get over the wall but the guards would not let him.337

At the Guard Tower, Danil was already grumpy and his shift was far from over. Already he had had to deal with two people trying to cross the city walls. The young girl with an ailing baby had been saddening and it had broke his heart having to refuse her exit. The young Magician, Aaron, was a scamp and had tried to leave the city before. Danil had heard the rumour that those with magic were more immune to the plague but seeing Aaron and his tiredness, he had to wonder. In his experience, the plague had struck at magical and non-magical alike, especially when the magical were exhausted from using far too much of their energy. 338

In the tree, Aaron dreamed of Lucky, and the shadowy figure that screwed up Lucky's tongue. Suddenly, he awoke in fright. An arrow collided with the tree, inches from the top of his head. It carried a note. Aaron read it and sprinted to the guard tower...339

"What?" said the guard. Aaron had explained what happened. The guard looked at Aaron.340

"Have you been drinking any bad potions kid?" Said the guard. Aaron said no. But then he started coughing. The guard stood up. Aaron stopped coughing long enough to get out of the tower and out into the street. Aaron tried to contact his master. When he found his master's hut, his master was angry. He screamed at Aaron for using too much magic and even confiscated his wand. Aaron now had a cold and he was defenseless... 341

~~342

In the street, Margitte's head whipped around at the sound of a voice in distress. Seeing Alexander beset by drunken ruffians, she muttered a quick "Excuse me, Merlin" and jogged in Alex's direction, drawing her short sword with one hand and plucking a small throwing knife with the other. 343

Without breaking stride, she flicked it at the youth who held a rock in his hand, ready to descend with force on Alex's skull. The thin blade tumbled through the air, piercing the young man's arm just below his wrist, and sinking between the bones. Startled by the sudden pain, he dropped the rock to the street and clutched at his wound.344

"What the--?" an only slightly inebriated friend blurted, frowning.345

Marg emerged from the shadows, whirling her blade through the air. Its bright arc descended in the dimness, splitting the belt of the man who'd just tried to bash Alex's head in, and his baggy trousers fluffed down around his ankles with a whump. He tripped and fell onto his bare rump, still howling with pain. 346

"Marg--?" Alex blurted, surprised at the sudden rescue.347

"Get comfy for a minute, Alex," she said as she dodged a wild haymaker punch and spun to the cobblestones, whipping another assailant onto his back with a quick trip of the ankle. The man's breath left his body with a sharp wheeze.348

Alex wisely lay still. Marg leaped across him, a foot on either side of his waist, protecting him with her presence while drawing another throwing dagger with her free hand. The remaining five youths flinched, and Marg grinned wickedly.349

"Move along, gents. This is your only warning." Her turquoise eyes gleamed in the dimness of the distant street lamps, and she whirled her short sword once, keeping her wrist limber and her grip sure.350

One of the cockier lads growled and bull-rushed her. She dropped her weapons with a clatter, and the others gave a cheer as he tackled her to the cobbles.351

But it was not over yet. She'd tucked a knee up against his belly, and as her back hit the pavement, she lashed out with her foot, catching him in the groin and hurtling him over her head. She clung to his shirt with her hands, and used his massive momentum to pull her over onto his chest, where she sat while he writhed, coughing in pain. A small dagger appeared in her hand; she pressed it to his carotid.352

She tsked. "Too bad for you." The young man winced, and she struck his temple with the outer edge of her fist, rendering him unconscious.353

The other men stood and stared. Marg stood up and stalked toward them, and they scattered, dragging their wounded fellows with them. She sniffed dismissively, then turned to help Alex to his feet.354

"None the worse for wear, I hope?" she asked him with a smile, handing him his dropped purse.355

Alex chuckled, "I seem to be alive. I suppose that's what matters." 356

He checked his pockets for a moment and found that the seed was still safe. "Yes, everything is well. Thank you, Marg. I might need to learn to defend myself." 357

Merlin actually felt relieved when he saw Alex being attacked. It wasn't too good, but at least Marg seemed to have been distracted enough.358

"Note to yourself:You have nothing to fear" he reminded himself, and began walking home. Yet, he was still worried someone was following him. He felt quite weary, even though he hadn't done much work that day.359

Slowly, as the sun set, Merlin was losing his fast gait, and slumping onto the road, his eyes staring at the sky. 360

"Oh Mama," he whispered, and closed his eyes.361

Marg turned around to ask Merlin what he wanted to say, and was shocked to find him lying on the road, unconscious.362

Far away, the bartender emerged from an alley, grinning. The attack on Alex had been enough to harm Merlin. Now he just had to plan a fast one on the guard tower...363

"Oh hells," Marg said. "I didn't think Merlin was that drunk." She looked between Alex and Merlin. "You're on your feet, at least, Alex. Go carefully from now on, and maybe get Mathias to show you a move or two in the morning."364

His next words caused a gut reaction in the bounty hunter.365

"They what?? Hellfire!" She threw her hands into the air. "This town needs an enema!" She pursed her lips as she thought. "Listen, I hate to bother you with this, but could you get Merlin off the road at the least?" She looked behind her at the last, unconscious assailant from her recent scuffle. "I need to take this fellow to a nice cramped holding cell, and I'll see if I can learn anything about what's going on with Mathias while I'm there."366

Without waiting for Alex's response, she bent and hefted the youth onto her shoulders and got him balanced, then made her way to the guard tower.367

Alex nodded and helped Merlin up, more or less dragging him back to the tavern and buying a room for him. He laid him in bed in the room next to Albiana and retreated back downstairs to buy a drink.368

Albiana tilted her head slightly, listening as the old door swung open yet again and heavy footsteps entered. They sounded labored and were accompanied by what could only be described as the half-walking, half-dragging of feet. She heard Alexander's now-familiar voice as he paid for a room for the man; instinctively she realized that one of the few vacant rooms was the one next to her own.369

Hearing the footsteps come her way, she stepped away from the stairs, allowing the men to make their way up them. She waited patiently until she heard Alexander make his return,370

"It's been a hell of a night, Keep," he said.371

"Keep's not here," said the substitute bartender.372

Alex looked up from his drink to see a young, attractive lady. "My apologies, miss. Where is he?"373

"He had errands," she replied simply as she cleaned out some mugs. "I don't press."374

"Fair enough." 375

Albiana approached the bar reluctantly, waiting until he finished his conversation with the bartender to speak.376

"Alexander, isn't it?" she asked, knowing she was right. It was always safest to make sure. "What's happened? First the guards arrest one of the patrons here and now you drag a man in here barely on his feet?"377

Her expression was both troubled and thoughtful all at once. The day's events, of course, were what came from keeping too many people trapped in too small of a space for far too long. 378

~~379

Merlin woke up dazed. Back to the tavern. His mind immediately reflected back to the potions simmering back at home. Any magician worth his salt knew that if left for too long, potions could spoil too.380

He went over the day's events-met a snarky bartender, thought he followed him home, embarrassed himself in front of whoever saw him collapse and let his potions be spoilt. He could hear Albiana's voice from downstairs.381

He quietly crept down. He was planning to silently exit before whoever had brought him here realized it. Suddenly he heard an interesting snippet of conversation between Alex and Albiana.382

"First the guards arrest one of the patrons here, and now you drag a man in here barely on his feet?" He went red on hearing himself referred to in that way-not with embarrassment, but anger. He had always prided himself on being able to stand on his feet. She had no idea what a difficult day he'd had!383

But the line that interested him the most was how the guards had arrested one of the patrons there. He couldn't help but curiously blurt out,"Why did the arrest happen? I thought Matthias was a good man."384

"Merlin, please go back to your room. You're not sober,"Alex replied.385

"No, I'm perfectly alright, I just needed to sleep. Now I've been a bit out of sync with what's happening in this town, would you care to inform me?..." 386

Albiana stiffened just slightly, unaccustomed to allowing people to enter behind her. She turned to face Merlin, following the sound of his voice and sensing the color of anger in his tone. The tiny hairs at the nape of her neck stood at attention as she became acutely aware that somehow that anger seemed to be at her. She couldn't see his face or make out any of his features, just a blur of colors that swirled together. Her expression shifted to a delicate frown. She felt with her staff and moved aside as the man approached. She lingered, though, still waiting to hear Alexander's reply. 387

Chandra, Keep's niece spoke up. "The law got some anonymous tip, most like. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a right good reason there was no name attached." She set a large mug on the counter in front of Alex. "You're a Black Ale ay?" Alex nodded. Chandra sighed. "I do hope that Mathias is doing fine. Coppers to pennywhistles this'll all be sorted out by the morning. I just hope some unsavoury don't decide to take things into his hands before then."388

Alex nodded at Chandra's response. "And as for old Merlin here, he apparently had a sip too many and blacked out on the streets."389

He, of course, left out the part about being beset by thugs and being saved by Marg. Not a sexist, Alex still felt a pang of injury to his "manliness" at the thought of being unable to protect himself.390

"I figured it'd be easier to pull him back here than all the way to his house - or mine. Safer, too. What with Mathias imprisoned, the would-be highwaymen are going to be taking purses and thimbles alike."391

He scoffed and took a long swig of his ale. "Damn this Plague. It mars everything." 392

"I'm not drunk!" Merlin scoffed. "And thank you for caring so much about my valuables, but you don't seem to be the man I'd want protecting them!"393

"What does he mean?" asked Chandra.394

"Err...nothing, maybe he was just rambling," replied Alex.395

Alex, finally succumbing to his exhaustion, handed Chandra money for a room and made his way upstairs. He'd find his way back home in the morning.396

"Good night," he said to Albiana. "Try to rest. I foresee that the morrow will bring a long day."397

He retreated to an empty room and plopped into a cot. In an instant, he was asleep.398

Albiana muttered goodnight to Alexander and tallied a while longer to listen to the following exchange.399

~~400

Marg strode out of the shadows and into the circle of torchlight that reached across the open area surrounding the guard tower. Stopping before Danil, she dipped her shoulders to the side and let the drooling perpetrator slough off, landing in a heap in front of his boots.401

"Special delivery," she said. "Though I hear your rooms are filling up."402

Danil stepped back as the man the woman had been supporting hit the floor. Only after glancing to make sure the man was fine did he risk a glance in the woman's direction. "M-Marg!! What are you doing here?" He'd met the woman once or twice before and she had made him as uneasy then as she was doing so now. He really hoped she had no wish to leave the city. "Who is this man?"403

Marg lifted her chin and met Danil's eyes. "This loose bit of cobble-mortar and his erstwhile stumble-bum friends thought it would be fun to jump Alexander Rafeal right in the middle of the street. I managed to scare them off to their mamas, except for this one. He attacked me personally, and I'd like to see to it that he gets at least a night of dank, cramped sleeplessness." She looked down at the unconscious assailant and nudged his ribs none too gently. "Once he comes to, of course."404

Danil sighed in relief. "So, you're not wanting to leave Helmsforth? Because--"405

Marg smiled in sympathy. "I know, Danil. No one can leave. Your job must not be very enjoyable these days. But no, I'm here to stay. The man I'm hunting--when I'm not distracted by combative idiots in their cups--is here in town, and I intend to find him and--eventually--take him back down the highway."406

"All right. Let me get this fellow for you." Danil easily jerked the sodden young man to his feet and heaved him over a shoulder, then slipped inside and deposited the fellow in a small room behind an iron door whose hinges squeaked like a dying swan.407

He turned after locking the man in, to see Marg eying him with a speculative glint in her turquoise eyes.408

"Anything else I can help you with tonight, miss?" Danil asked gregariously, much relieved not to have to say no to Marg about leaving the city.409

"I'm curious, Danil, if you can tell me where they've put Mathias, and more importantly, why." She crossed her arms, not expecting this to be easy.410

Danil sighed, knowing it could not have been that easy. Still, the information of Mathias's location was in no way secret. 411

"He's at the cells in City Hall Marg." Danil shrugged uneasily. "I can't tell you why he was taken in." Marg started to speak up but he stopped her with an upraised hand. "I would tell you if I could but I can't. We haven't been informed about anything out here."412

Danil looked at Marg and swallowed. Her turquoise eyes were unsettling and made it hard to look at her when she was looking at him that way. He tried to restrain the urge to say more and failed. "You didn't hear this from me right?" Marg looked at him wordlessly and Danil swallowed uneasily again. "This is just hearsay mind...but they say someone's accused Mathias of doing in those two guards last night. I doubt heartily such a stand will hold but...hafta follow the procedure right?"413

Danil looked back into the city, his eyes drawn to the lights and noise starting to float up from the south. He turned his head left to look full upon it. "An upstanding lad like Mathias, makes you wonder what kind of lowlife would make that sort of claim."414

Marg turned her head to follow Danil's gaze.415

"Yes," she replied, her voice going cold. "Yes it does make me wonder." Her eyes narrowed, and Danil was glad her attention was off of him for the moment. "Thank you for taking care of my vermin problem," she said, flashing him a dimple. "Good night, Danil."416

Marg vanished into the shadows of the night, heading in the direction of the Night Market. 417

~~418

Merlin took a stool far away from the chatting customers, when suddenly, the bartender appeared again.
"I thought you were gone," said Merlin, his eyes widening.419

He chuckled,"I heard your voice downstairs. I guess the plague's taking its effect on you."420

"Plague?" asked Merlin puzzled.421

"Symptoms: Irritability, unconsciousness, forgetfulness...or maybe it's something else, Merlin? Your family wasn't famous for its calm temper. Rather, infamous for the lack of it." The tender laughed.422

"You're not Keep, are you?" asked Merlin, suddenly feeling weary.423

"It's unfair, you know, that most people don't seem to be good friends with you here, nor do they have the will to do so," he said, waving to Alex, Chandra, Albiana and the other people seated in the bar. "I mean, there was a time when every Drak-Vramer was talked to sweetly."424

The tender leaned over, his voice growing husky. " There was a time when the Drak-Vramers ruled the entire town of Helmsforth..."425

Merlin felt a chill run down his spine. 426

"Don't you know?" said the tender, his eyes raised in mock horror. Taking on the bored look historians seemed to sport, he said, "Well, your family was quite rich, and quite powerful. Black magic isn't an easy art. The spells take hours to make, as the magic is very hard to tame. As for the potions, they are much more poisonous and reactive than the mellow, sweet ones people are making nowadays. It is said that some potions can burn your throat if you aren't too careful."427

"I know that," snapped Merlin. "There are many books of black magic in my house. And I also know what I am descended from nobles. But that was all in the past. My family lost their money, they say. So I might be blue-blooded, but my family's wealth is all gone."428

"What they say isn't always true. Your family wasn't stupid enough to lose their wealth. Yes, the men in the family were a little too boisterous when drunk, and the women lacked grace and manners, but they were very sharp. One minute they looked unconscious, the other, they killed someone who was getting a bit too close for comfort." 429

He paused, and taking a swig of ale, continued, "But soon they fell into decline-because you know how commoners are, they have to get their hands on the things they don't have, by hook or by crook. You know Alexander, don't you? The man who brought you here? His family is a reputed lot, but I bet one of his ancestors was some sneaky little servant of your house. One weakness of your ancestors was that they always underestimated their enemies. If a powerful magician came to town, they'd make sure that he either married one of their daughters, or was killed by the very same girl. But they'd take no notice of a little immigrant."430

"I don't believe you," said Merlin.431

"But it's true," the tender insisted. "Have you been to the Night Market? You will be shocked that some of the trinkets sold there are made from the very spells and formulae written down in your valuable magic books. I bet even the plague is nothing but a working of some lower magician who happened to have one your family's books. Someone like Darnan Hun."432

"Darnan, who?" asked Merlin.433

"Darnan Hun," the tender said crossly. "He's older than you but it took a stint at your ancestors' to drill the art of magic into him. Remember, that day you saw his boy Aaron and felt so disturbed that a young un seemed to be under the kind of magic you practiced? He's Darnan Hun's boy."434

"But that's unfair!" Merlin cried out. "He could be spreading the plague, and I'm the one everyone spreads rumours about!"435

Taking a swig of ale, the tender said,"There's nothing you can do about it."436

"Who are you?" Chandra shouted from behind. "Here, get away from the stool! I know your lot very well! Coming here and peddling illegal potions to customers! Merlin, I can't believe you of all people got fooled!"437

The tender ran out of the bar. "Hey! Hey, wait! Albiana, do me a favour, and check Merlin. I'm afraid...they add anything to some magician's ale..."438

There was naught Albiana could do to 'check' Merlin save for consulting her pendulum and she heard the man hustle away before she could manage even that. Unable to do anything more for lack of vision, she felt with her staff and retreated back up the stairs the way she had come. 439

Morning found her there in her cramped, tiny room, sunlight poking through a hole that a resident mouse had nibbled in her curtains. Her sixth sense warned her that Alexander had been correct the evening before - it was going to be another long day. 440


~~441

After her father he settled in for the night and began to snore, Sabrina put on a long cloak, pulling up the hood as she snuck out of the caravan. 442

Darting through shadows and avoiding alleys and drunks, Sabrina soon reached the vicinity of the Night Market. Drawn to the odd glow and secret transactions, she melted into the crowd. Curious, she observed the people and marveled at the their wares.443

The Tavern forgotten, she lingered in the crowd.444

The full moon shone on the bustle of the Night Market. Hawkers and whores cried their wares from stalls and doorways or mingled in the crowd and whispered temptations in people's ears. Hidden in the crowd, one figure watched the cloaked figure with suspicious eyes. As the cloaked shape perused the stalls of the Night Market in wonder, the first drew close. Seizing a pocket of space, it grabbed the figure in the cloak and dragged it into a nearby alleyway.445

"I know who you are." said the first figure quietly, raising a gold and silver dagger with a ruby in the hilt. "And you won't get away with it."446

The cloaked figure looked unimpressed at the slight shape before it...until it started advancing threateningly. The armed figure smirked and threw the dagger in a perfect spinning arc but suddenly a commotion was heard from one of the doors leading out into the alley and the aim flew off, slicing the figure's arm rather than the shoulder. Taking advantage of the distraction, the cloaked figure fled.447

Away it fled into the Night Market, fumbling a pewter knife out of a bag. So focused was the cloaked figure on the threat behind it, it didn't watch where it was going and crashed headlong into Leah Williams who had been released for the night by her master. The cloaked figure withdrew hastily and looked into Leah's wide eyes, realising the knife had plunged straight into her heart. Panicking, the figure gathered up everything it had dropped and scurried away. The pewter knife was left buried in Leah's heart for the figure could not bear to touch this weapon.448

Nearing the Town Square, the cloaked figure finally slowed down and began taking stock of itself. It realised it had picked up Leah's pack in the hurry and, looking inside, found it full of food. Suddenly hungry from the ordeal, it picked out a plum and devoured it as it walked. Had it been more careful, perhaps the pit would not have lodged in its throat, suffocating it. At the edge of Town Square, Sabrina Sommers collapsed to the ground, dead.449

Back in the alleyway, the first figure had long since departed. It had been unable to retrieve its knife, for which it sorrowed. 450

~~451

Aaron awoke in the park early in the morning. He felt lightheaded. He walked over to a tree, and tripped over a cat, which hissed angrily at Aaron. It struck Aaron in the face. Aaron stood up. 452

"Nobody, touches the face..." He began wrestling the cat. In a matter of seconds, the cat had pinned him. He felt like someone was watching him, besides the cat. 453

Nora snickered as Aaron fought with a cat and lost.454

"Nice," She laughed and then she walked over "Hi Aaron."455

"Woof!" Lucky barked happily, Lucky clearly remembered him.456

"Lucky!" Aaron chimed and scratched Lucky behind the ears457

"He is a smart dog, he knows much more than a normal dog, perhaps more then most humans.... I really wonder where a dog like him could come from... There are so many questions." Nora rambled to Aaron and herself, but also hoping Lucky would hear in the silly hope that he would suddenly speak again and tell her.458

"Ha! There are a lot of questions." Aaron laughed. 459

"Hey Aaron, where's your wand?" Nora asked. She had noticed the empty strap on the side of Aaron's jacket. 460

"Confiscated, too much use." Aaron picked up the cat, which struggled furiously. "Chow time Lucky." Aaron joked... 461

Aaron tried to throw the cat over the wall, but Nora wouldn't let him. He put the cat down. It hissed at Lucky, and scurried off. Aaron began to feel more lightheaded and leaned against the nearby tree. Then, he blacked out... 462

~~463

Seeing no point in being at the tavern, Victoria slipped out into the street.464

"This stupid plague is ruining everything!" She mumbled under her breath. "Is there no one in this town worth talking to?!" She almost yelled but mumbled again. "I'm going back to the park." She sighed.465

Victoria walked into the park and noticed a man against a tree. Maybe he'll talk to me... She thought. She walked over to him and asked, in a polite voice, if she could sit next to him. Not hearing an answer she asked a little louder. Once again the man was silent. She lightly took his shoulders and shook them, still nothing. "He's blacked out...I can feel his breath on my hand." She said to no one in particular. "Seems a lot of people are doing that." She held her hands up about 5in. away and closed her eyes, after a couple of minutes she stopped and he started to come to.
Aaron awoke slowly, he was extremely dizzy. The first thing he saw was the concerned faces of Nora and someone else. 466

"Aaron, are you alright?" Nora asked. Aaron held onto one of the tree's branches. 467

"I think so, what happened?" Aaron asked. 468

"You blacked out." Said the other person. A thought struck Aaron like a rock. "I don't believe it. I have it again, p-plague." 469

~~470

Across town, at the edge of the city wall, a small hut was illuminated in candlelight. Inside, Alistair Grady was busy chanting a mantra of some sort. He was kneeling at a semi-circle of candles that burned brightly.471

"By this spell," he finished, "I guard this town."472

In his own mind, his magics were unparalleled. He had taught almost all of the city's magic-users at one point in time. Now, though, he was an old hermit who rarely saw visitors and only the ones he liked.473

Most of his time was spent trying to figure out a proper spell with which to cast out the Plague and to protect the townspeople. As of yet, it seemed to work only in part. The Plague was still strong, and killing many. But other than that, the city dwellers seemed to survive.474

Finished with his enchantment, he rose - unsteadily - and blew out each of the candles. Then, he retired into the depths of his small cottage. 475

~~476

Merlin had departed from the tavern before Albiana could do anything. He knew she wouldn't be too concerned. All magicians had an instinct that told them when someone did not require their help. It was as precious as energy, therefore it was necessary to know when not to use it. 477

He was disturbed by what the tender had said. Was it true that some of the wares sold in the Night Market were made from his own family secrets? He had often been there, as rare and useful ingredients would often crop up. But because the quarantine had stopped the import of goods into the town, he had stopped visiting the place. 478

He covered his yawn, and decided to go home. He decided not to frequent the tavern as the ale seemed to have a bad effect on him. He also needed to pay more attention to his potions. He had not yet given up his quest to find the cure to the plague. If what the tender had said was true, then perhaps it might be a way to restore his family's glory.479

He decided to make a shortcut through the park. Suddenly, he spotted the same man who had kept him in a disturbed state of mind for the past few days surrounded by two women. He was stammering something about the plague. Merlin's eyes widened. He was looking exactly the way he had when he had blacked out!480

What was his name-Aamir, Ali-Aaron! He leaned over Aaron and said, "Young man, perhaps I can help you. I've been experiencing the same symptoms you have." 481

Aaron was shocked at the man. 482

"You?" Aaron was confused. "The plague is something I know." Aaron said quietly. "It killed my parents." Aaron wiped a tear from his eye. Aaron told Nora and the others about how he survived plague once. He waited for a reply.483

"It's ok Aaron, I know how you feel... My whole family was killed by the plague. And you have your master, all I have is Lucky..."484

Aaron stared at Nora and gawped.485

"It'll be ok," Nora promised, "I've been trying to find a cure to the plague for years, now I have more of a reason to try... You brought me Lucky, he means the would to me, and you are to thank, I won't let your life go that easily!" Nora vowed. 486

"Well, well, there's no time to get emotional," said Merlin crossly. "We all seem to have been affected by the plague, but we have to do something about, right?"487

Aaron looked crossly at Merlin. "What about you?"488

Merlin looked at him, his eyes narrowing. "For your information, I have just been struck with it. And now you, you, and you-"pointing to Aaron, Nora, and an unfamiliar woman whom he did not recognize, "are going to come along straight to my house."489

"Stop bossing us around," said Nora.490

Merlin rubbed his hands gleefully at the thought of finally having someone to study-besides himself. Ignoring Nora's indignant tone, he pulled them along. The other woman looked undecided on whether to follow or not.491

"And let me warn you," he said turning behind, "don't think your snarky little charms will work on me. Nora, you seem to have forgotten that I was your tutor when you were young. Your parents would have none of my refusals-"492

"You knew my parents?" Nora gawped. 493

Aaron stopped in his tracks. Nora looked surprised at what the man said. The man replied by saying yes, softly. Aaron could only imagine what Nora was thinking. Aaron allowed Nora and the man, Marty, or so Aaron thought, talk for a few moments... 494

Victoria decided to follow the group. "I'm sorry to ruin the Reunion, or whatever it is, but I'm new in town trapped her by the quarantine. I never knew my family, I grew up in the country by town coming in every once in a while. I was visiting a friend, but a person killed him right after we got trapped in here." She looked away then back at the man who had just spoken to the lady about knowing her parents and training her or something... Once again...no one hears me...or notices...*sigh* she thought. 495

Nora stared at the girl but took no notice.496

Merlin sighed.497

"Look, I need your help if I'm going to make any progress."498

"You there!" he barked to Aaron, who was moving away, "come here!" and "you too!" gesturing to the other woman, who was muttering something about her family.499

"Look, Merlin. Where are you taking me and why? I'm not going with you until you answer me!" Nora exclaimed stubbornly. 500

Aaron took surprise to Nora's anger. Aaron picked Lucky up and took a step back, bumping into the other woman. 501

"I'm sorry miss uh, what's your name?" He said. 502

"Victoria Poole..." 503

"I'll give you anything, anything you want okay? Name one potion or spell you want, and I'll give it to you. As a fact," and at this point Nora's ears leaned, "I have a library full of the darkest, most powerful spells you will ever find. As for my treasury, I have enough to last you till your old age...that is if you survive. And for that you will be yearning for my help."504

"But why do you need us?" cried Nora. "You're a black magician-and a powerful one at that. We do not indulge in such practices."505

Merlin shrugged. "It's give or take. Your choice. And I do not reveal my reasons, so quit the stupid questions," he said, a mysterious gleam in his eyes.506

Aaron and Nora looked at each other. There were thousands of rumours about Merlin-he was the perpetrator of the plague, he was crazy, he ate young children for breakfast, and what not. But on the other hand, he was promising a reserve of untold wealth to them. 507

Would they go with him or not?508

Aaron hesitated. He glanced at Nora. Then to lucky, then to Merlin. "Fix the dog's voice, and I'll go with you." Aaron said, pointing to Lucky. Merlin crossed his arms. Then, he opened his mouth to reply.509

Merlin was about to confidently cast a spell, but stopped short. It was a careful matter. He had to go about after a bit of thinking.510

He looked at the dog. He knew that if he messed up, then not only would they run away, but they would also probably go and complain to one of the authorities in the town. So he decided to cast a temporary spell-as a trial.511

"Look," he said to Aaron," I know a spell that can fix your dog's voice, but it might go wrong. So we'll try just a short one okay? Then if it works, I'll renew it."512

He carefully muttered some words, shutting his eyes, shutting out the world. His stint as a potionmaker was eating away at his memory, but this was a very simple one.513

He then looked at the dog. Would its voice start working now?514

Aaron stared at Lucky. After several seconds, Lucky said something in Chinese. Aaron frowned.
"Half way isn't bad, right?" Merlin said. Aaron nodded and said "A promise is a promise." He gave Nora Lucky and said, "Do you two think you can teach him English?" Nora nodded and she and the other woman walked away.515

"Let's go Aaron." Merlin said... 516


~~517

Alex woke the next morning with a start. He couldn't recall his dream, but he knew it had been dark and unhappy. He sat up on the cot and listened. The tavern was quiet, as it tended to be during the daylight hours. But there was an underlying silence to the day that he could not place.518

He needed to change clothes, at any rate. These were beginning to smell. 519

Andi sat once again in the tavern. She didn't know what she was doing here. There was death all around her. It was sad, really. What was going on in this town? She sighed, taking a sip of her drink. 520

Alex wandered into the street, headed for home. As he reached the night market, he found Leah on the ground, her blood pooled around her.521

He blurted a curse and rushed to find a town guard and show them the scene. 522

523


~~524

City Hall
Seth, the guard of the city Hall jail cells had had a very strenuous night. A scream had been heard from one of the jail cells and when he'd gone to look, he'd found Mathias, body white and cold, not breathing. Somehow he'd gotten the body to breathe again but it had given him quite the scare.525

'My job would have been in serious jeopardy if Mathis had died on my watch.' thought Seth, reflecting back on the memory with a shudder. Remembering how popular Mathias was in the city, he added, 'And my life might have been too.' Seth suspected someone had attacked Mathias magically, knowing there would be no evidence to support the claim of Mathias's guilt in the deaths of the two guards.526

"I'm ready." Seth started out of his thoughts and turned to see Mathias watching him. Having found no evidence, the officials had wisely decided to let him go. Seth handed over Mathias's personal effects with a nod and the man gave him a nod back and strode out the door.527

"Well, I'm glad that's over with." Seth said to himself, glad to not be under the gaze of Mathias Brecknock a moment longer. There was a strange glow to them, he thought to himself. Since he came back from the dead. A strange glow...528

Mathias walked into the morning air a free man. He knew they had no case. The guards knew he was innocent - he was the defender of Helmsforth after all He did, however, suspect the 'person of interest' that Marg mentioned she was investigating as the person that would have the most to benefit from him 'disappearing'. He'd have to have a talk with her.529

For now he merely pondered the events of very early that morning. The cell had gone pitch black - almost as if everything had been sucked from the small space, and he had passed out. He came to with his head buzzing and one of the guards standing over him looking somewhat... concerned.530

Not one to fall victim to an overt attack, Mathias suspected that someone had tried to hasten the course of 'justice', likely slipping him a poison or even bewitching him. Whatever had happened, he was thankful to the powers that be that the guard had acted so quickly.531

Now, he needed to speak to Marg, and so he headed toward the Tavern. If she wasn't there, at least one person would know where she was.532

~~533

Marg was exhausted; she'd spent all night prowling the Night Market--for what, she wasn't entirely sure--but the paltry leads she'd overheard had managed not only to waste her time, but had led her out of the area while Leah was killed. Now her tabard was wrinkled and dusty, and her braids needed redoing. Not to mention she needed to switch the color on their wraps. As soon as she finished at City Hall, for good or ill, she needed to go freshen up in her room at the Tavern.534

Her night's excursion left her in a particularly foul mood, and with the first rays of dawn filtering through the orange dust of the streets, setting the highlights in her hair afire, she trudged her way toward City Hall, determined to be there when they opened for business. She still had questions about Mathias' suspicious arrest, and she wasn't leaving there without--535

Striding around a corner, she nearly ran right into Mathias himself. Marg blinked in pleased surprise.536

"They came to their senses, did they?" she said, by way of greeting. He nodded, looking tired. "I was just about to give them something else to think about," she said, flexing a hand into a fist. Then she squinted, looking more closely at his hazel eyes. "Are you all right?"537

~~538

Alex made his way to the guards' stationing building.539

"Danil," he breathed, "there's been another murder. In the night market. It was Leah, this time."540

Danil cursed and followed after Alex as he led him back to the scene. They passed Mathias and Marg on the streets. "Mathias?" Alex paused.541

"I'd heard you had been hanged! I'm glad to see I was misinformed." 542

~~543

Mathias wiped a hand across his brow as he replied to Marg and Alex. "I'm fine, a little undernourished perhaps, but at least I'm alive. And to think they were going to hang me... This business with the deaths seems to have robbed people of their senses."544

Marg nodded. She looked as exhausted as he felt.545

"I did want to ask you about the person for whom you seek for a bounty. Any chance that they might have been involved in my arrest? The guards wouldn't say much, but they inferred that they acted on information. I wouldn't mind knowing who thinks I am enough of a threat to them to get rid of. I hate people who act covertly. Give me a fair fight any day, I say." 546

Marg smirked in mirth. "You like a fair fight, Mathias, but in my line of work, I'll take any advantage I can get to drag the scum I chase back to justice." She pulled out a pair of throwing daggers and twirled them among her fingers before tucking them away again.547

Mathias merely smiled, though, and Marg sobered, seeing the drawn look on his face. 548

A quick look around to make sure no one was spying obviously, and she took his arm and aimed for the Tavern. "Let's discuss this more over breakfast. You look like the walking dead. A little warm food in you and you'll last through what I have to say."549

~~550

Helmsforth was quiet this morning. Walking down one of the city's main streets, Ammie could feel death in the air. Something bad had happened last night. What, though, she couldn't tell.551

Though quiet, the streets were busier than usual. Alexander dashed past her once, then again with Danil in tow. They headed off toward the night market. And she saw Margitte and Mathias talking.552

"I see the freed him," she announced to herself. "That's good."553

Uncertain where she was headed, the adventurer found herself at the city wall, staring out at the wilderness she missed. 554

When Danil and Alexander reached Town Square, Danil stopped Alex for a moment. Disappearing into City Hall, he exited out with a group of soldiers from the garrison there before motioning to Alex to lead on.555

On the way to the Night Market, one of his guards spied Sabrina's body; while Danil would have liked to stop to take a closer look, Alex was pulling him onward, so he instead separated his guards into two groups and left the smaller one to deal with Sabrina.556

Nearing the intersection of Copper Penny ay and Perfume street, where the Night Market was held during the dark hours, his men ranged into all the crevices to make sure no perpetrators were hiding there. Only when his Guards had nodded the all-clear did Danil step forth and view Leah's body.557

A pewter knife lay buried deep in Leah's heart and, checking the girl's neck, he could find no pulse. Doing his best not to disturb the scene, though he did not doubt passersby had already contaminated most of it, he motioned his guards forth and they collected what information there was to be found. 558


~~559

Mathias allowed Marg to lead him to the Tavern. Despite how tired he felt, he didn't allow himself to lean on her. She would have been more than capable of assisting him, but he didn't think it would be fitting for a champion to be seen needing to rely on a woman. Marg was strong and beautiful, but that didn't mean he could flout the conventions of their culture. 560

He grinned to himself as they strolled in the Tavern door. Even though she looked like she'd spent the night skulking in the shadows and across rooftops, in her own rugged way she was elegant. And though he'd had many a fair maiden throw themselves at him, he'd more than happily risk his life to court her.561

Marg caught his smile and gave a weary one of her own. "Your usual, Mathias?"562

He broke from his reverie. "Make that double, and a flagon of cider," he said, as they approached the long bar. 563

Marg discovered she was as hungry as Mathias, after her night of skulking about looking for leads, and they spent several minutes eating and drinking their fill, their only murmured words compliments on the food.564

Mathias cleaned his trencher and let out a complimentary belch, and Sukie grinned and replied, "Glad you like it. And, I'm glad to see you out and about, as well."565

As Sukie moved on about her duties, asking if Andi needed anything, Mathias turned his eyes to the last fat sausage on Marg's plate. She squinted at him. "Yes, I am going to eat that, actually," she said, stabbing it possessively with her eating knife. He grinned. 566

Marg polished off the sausage while Mathias busied himself with his flagon of cider, and spoke after her own, smaller, belch. "Our conversation should continue privately," she said in a quiet voice, "considering what the risks are. I don't want any ears to overhear, let alone the wrong ones, in case you're right." Her eyes glanced up to the stairs that led to her room. 567

"Besides," she added, pulling a long, dusty cobweb off one of her braids, "I could use a bit of freshening up. Can you listen while I brush?" She grinned, not waiting for a response, and slipped off the bar stool, heading for the stairs, fully confident that Mathias would follow. 568

He was very possibly the only man in town who could best her in combat, though it had been since her last visit since they'd tested that. Maybe they could find some time soon to give it another go. Gods know, Marg thought, mounting the steps, we might need the practice if this town gets any scarier.569

Mathias nodded, but he didn't hasten to leave his seat. Instead, he drank the remainder of the cider and used the flagon to hide the surreptitious gaze he gave her back as she started to mount the stairs.570

He put the empty flagon down and dismissed the thoughts that whirled in his head at the sight of her shapely figure. Business first - and he'd listen carefully to whatever Marg would tell him irrespective of what she did with her hair in his presence.571

He took to the stairs himself, following her steps as she led him to her room. 572

Marg shut the door behind Mathias and gestured for him to have a seat in the room's only chair. While he made himself comfortable, she listened at the door for a long moment, and then stepped to the window, opening the shutters far enough to get a good look around at the visible roofs, the alley below, and all windows in sight.573

All clear.574

She rustled her handleless ivory comb out of her bag and held it in her teeth while she untied her braid wraps. Perching on the edge of the bed, she set the black leather wraps down and let her fingers wriggle her braids into loose, curly ribbons of chocolate tresses. 575

She bent over and let her fingers search blindly inside her bag for a new color of braid wraps; her hair made a curly curtain that hid Mathias from her view for a moment. As her fingers selected a rolled and tied pair of thin leather squares, she sat up, tossing her hair out of the way, and caught Mathias' warm hazel gaze. Her eyes widened a moment; she took the comb from her teeth and grinned.576

"And here I thought you a man of extraordinary focus, Mathias," she teased, setting the dark green wraps by her hip and beginning to work the knots and tangles, and the occasional bit of dusty cobweb, out of her long hair.577

She lowered her voice. "All right; here's what I know about my target."578

Mathias leaned forward, intent.579

"The name he used last was Hondurio. He stole a magical item from my current employer. Slim build, about my height, or yours. Last seen with hazel eyes and brown hair. Some of that could be disguise, or it could all be a magical illusion," she added. "Hazel eyes and brown hair are common in this area; both you and Alex have them." She let her eyes play over his features, and her hands paused for a moment in their brushing. 580

She pursed her lips in a saucy grin and resumed brushing on the other side of her head with long, sure strokes. "The item he stole casts some sort of enchantment or alteration. Ordinary people suddenly turned on me while I chased him down the street." She shook her head in frustrated recollection. It had been hard to get away from them without causing them permanent injury.581

Hair completely brushed, Marg parted it and began gathering her hair into braids that snugged close to her scalp. Mathias watched her nimble fingers twist and weave while she continued. "I've been chasing Hondurio for weeks now, up and down the High Way. He finally thought he'd shake me by running into Helmsforth during the quarantine, but if I don't nab him and claim my reward, not only am I out all my expenses, but my reputation will take a hit." 582

She snugged the green leather tight to the ends of her finished braids, then stood and pulled her rumpled blue tabard off, giving it a thorough shake and sending dust motes flying in the thin beams of sunshine. Wearing just her studded-leather bodice over leather pants, she set it down, then stepped to the small table across the room and poured fresh cold water from her ewer into its matching bluestone basin. She soaked a cloth, then wrung it out and ran its cleansing coolness over her arms, neck and face, wiping off the sticky dust that had melded with her perspiration during the night. Mathias was watching, she knew. She grinned; let him look. She'd never been bashful, and the attention of handsome men was nearly always welcome. Especially ones who were handy with weaponry.583

"There's nothing obvious about the man I'm chasing that suggests he wanted you killed, Mathias," she said, wringing out the last of the water and hanging the cloth over the windowsill to air dry. "If there's a connection, it's likely something you don't know that you know. I'd say it might be something to do with the fact that you look similar, except that all the locals in town know you on sight. In my experience, the bad guys tend to be a bit overprotective of their evil schemes. They'll kill you if they even THINK you might have seen something you shouldn't have." She sighed and slipped her tabard back on, belting it in place, then sat on the bed again, checking the placement of her daggers.584

Mathias listened intently as Marg relayed the information. Though she'd caught him off-guard before, he wouldn't be likewise careless to give her such an open gaze while she spoke of these things. Not only that, it would be impolite.585

She met his eyes for a long moment. "All right, I've shown you mine. Now you know all that I know. Can you think of anything recently that might explain this sudden accusation against you?"586

He thought for a moment. "By the man you seek - nothing - unless I caught him thieving or fighting or stumbling around the streets. Most here know that I only mean the best for Helmsforth." 587

~~588

589

Merlin walked quietly with Aaron. It was dawn now, and he could see that Aaron was growing sleepy. Afraid he would black out again, he decided to transport both of them with a quick teleporting spell.590

"You still haven't told me why you're taking me," said Aaron quietly. 591

Merlin grinned and said, "Wait a minute, son, you'd better watch your feet now."592

They both felt a slight breeze seem to blow through them. A puzzled Aaron cried out in shock as suddenly, they seemed to levitate above the ground for a moment. They suddenly landed in front of the castle.593

Aaron gasped in awe as he looked at the intimidating towers that seemed to stretch out to infinity. "Welcome to Vramer House," said Merlin, opening the gates, that squeaked noisily. Aaron gulped down the lump that was steadily rising in his throat. He had seen this house...yes, he had definitely seen this house!594

As they walked across the drawbridge, Aaron glanced at the moat. Were there water lilies growing there? Yes there were! Aaron was puzzled. His parents had never known Merlin, so there was no chance of visiting the house as a child. Had his master sent him on some assignment here?595

Merlin opened the large wooden door, and gestured for Aaron to make his way into a large stone hall that was flooded with sunlight. Aaron squinted, and slowly his eyes adjusted to the light. Their steps echoed down the hall. Aaron could feel his memory awakening...596

"I know this place." Aaron said. He glanced around the place. Aaron felt something prickle in his head. Suddenly he had a flashback...597

'What's the matter Aaron, are you scared' said a cruel voice...598

"Aaron!" Cried Merlin. Aaron snapped out of it and screamed, "My brother! I remember him! All of the sudden." Aaron had forgotten his brother, until he entered this place. Merlin looked puzzled. 599

"You've never been to this place, why are you suddenly remembering your brother," Merlin snapped. 600

He then thought back to what the tender had said that day. The servants...the petty robbers...he firmly grasped Aaron by the hand and led him to the living room. He plopped Aaron down on a nearby sofa, and then sat on his armchair.601

"Have you been here?" said Merlin, his eyes growing steely. "Have you wandered around...perhaps even stolen a few things?" His blue eyes narrowed. 602

Aaron began to remember where his brother died...603

"My brother was a vampire." Aaron told Merlin. "He tried to feed on me after my parents died. I ran and ended up here. An old man attempted to protect me, but Alister was to strong-"604

"Wait, Alister Von-Alucard?" Merlin asked. Aaron nodded 605

"Before he got me, my master appeared and exposed him to sunlight, here." Aaron finished. Merlin looked bewildered. He looked like he was wondering about something. Then a man who claimed to be his uncle walked into the room... 606

Merlin frowned. "Old man? I've never seen you or your brother, as for an old man, I have been the only person living here for years."607

"Wait a minute-you don't have any parents? An uncle or an aunt? A distant cousin eve-" 608

"No," Merlin snapped. "And don't ever, ever ask about my family ever again, okay?"609

Aaron was puzzled. He pushed his brother out of his mind and stood up to explore the castle.
"So uh, can I get a tour?" He asked. 610

"No," said Merlin sternly. "I want to ask you something first." 611

Aaron sat back down. 612

"And what might that be?" He asked. 613

Nora suddenly burst into the house.614

"You idiots...you oafs, left me behind!" she spouted angrily.615

Aaron and Merlin turned to stare at her. "How much did you hear?" Merlin yelled.616

"All of it..." Nora replied calmly, "I'm with Aaron, if you fully fix Lucky I will stay with you...
Aaron smiled, glad to see a friend. Nora smiled back, then turned to Merlin to see what he would say...617

Merlin ignored her, and turned to Aaron. 618

"Are you Darnan Hun's boy?"619

~~620

The bodies that had been found earlier that morning lay on wood slabs for examination in the basement of City Hall. Down in this dark room, almost no one ever entered. Thus there were no witnesses when the eyes of one body suddenly snapped open. Sitting up, the figure put a hand to its chest wonderingly, encountering soiled clothes but no wound. It's eyes went wide and it started panicking, gasping when it noticed the other body. Backing up, its back hit the wooden door and fingers scrabbled at the handle. Leah Williams slipped out the door and into the world. 621

~~622

A crowd was gathering in the east sector of the Town Square, as a woman called out to them, hair wild.623

"She is Death! She will kill all our husbands and all our children. She is the one who has caused all this strife. People dying, wasting away in front of our very eyes. And she is right here in the Market right now. There!" The woman pointed a long finger at the stalls across the square and the crowd surged. They swarmed into the Market, knocking over stalls n their haste to get to the one the woman had pointed to, the one run by Edith Pennebryg.624

In the madness of the events of the previous night, many of the town guards were busy with other things. So when the call for Edith's execution rang out in the Square, only the citizens heard.625

Seizing Edith, they bore her off across the Town Square, shoving and prodding her up the platform until she stood in front of the condemning woman. Looking up into the bloodshot eyes of this hysterical apparition, Edith gasped. "Lynna?" Lynna looked on with no mercy in her eyes. "Lynna! What are you doing? You know me Lynna, you're one of my best customers.626

Lynna stepped back and the men threw Edith down. Stones began raining down from all sides. With each hit, Edith made a sound of pain, until the pain became so great she could do nothing but sob silently, a quivering curled up bundle. Still the stones came on, until the bundle no longer moved.627

Alex came running to see the sight. When he saw Edith placed on the stand, he pushed forward, trying to get to her. But the crowd would not budge. And he looked on with horrified anger as she was murdered in plain sight.628

"You fools," he breathed. "This plague has driven you mad."629

He turned ands left, retreating to the safety of his former master's abode.630

A sigh went through the crowd, as if it was waking up out of a trance. Faces dawned with the horror of what had just been done and figures milled, slipping away from the Town Square and the frail body up on the platform.631

Chandra, eyes wide with horror, scurried forward and clasped Lynna around the shoulders, leading her away.632

~~633

"Master Alistair," Alex said, sitting in an oaken chair, "this town is falling apart."634

"Yes," Alistair replied. "Yes, indeed. I have felt a strong presence here. Someone is casting powerful and dangerous magics."635

"Is that what's affecting everyone?"636

"Possibly. With magic, the natural boundaries are broken. The possibilities are nearly endless."637

Alex sighed. "Ugh. I feel so tired."638

Alistair nodded, "Of course you do, Alexander. You are infected."639

"What? How do you know?"640

"I may be blind, child, but I am not dead. Not yet, at any rate. I cannot heal you. But perhaps, in time, you can heal yourself. Go. I have matters I must tend to."641

"But..." Alex knew it was pointless to argue with Alistair. "Very well, then. I shall see you again on the morrow." 642

At home, Alex retired to his bed, weary. Another dead not caused by the plague. This town was falling apart one person at a time. It seemed like death waited around every corner.643

Stretching out on his bed, Alex stared at the ceiling for a moment before drifting off to sleep.644

~~645

Leaning back in the chair in Marg's room, Mathias rubbed his chin as he thought some more. "Ever since the quarantine started, this City has been on edge. I've seen even the calmest people, who ordinarily would not be inclined to actions of unrest, become angry and dangerous. Everyone is starting to look into shadows and imagining they see an enemy lurking. These recent murders have made people suspect those amongst us that shouldn't be accused. Additionally, some of the villagers are beginning to despise the magic workers and others that are meant to protect them from the plague. If the plague walked in human form, perhaps I could be of some assistance, but..."646

He looked at her, his eyes widening. "This plague... what if is someone rather than something?"647

Marg tilted her head. "Powerful magic indeed if it were true."648

"It would make sense. What if it is being used to seize control of Cities and provinces? An act of covert war? And those cities - like Helmsforth - that do not fall so easily, that are quarantined, are dealt with more aggressively?"649

He stood and paced the room. "If that is the case, of course the faction or person behind the plague would want me removed. I protect this City. I keep the peace. Who else would they get rid of to try to gain control? Without me, a degree of chaos would ensue - drunken riots, thieving... even violence."650

Stopping in front of the small window overlooking the town square he looked down and gasped. "And it's happening already," he said, pointing down to where a crowd was throwing the last of some rocks at a figure lying motionless on the ground.651

Marg joined him at the window, scowling as she took in the scene. They watched, silently, as the crowds suddenly dispersed. 652

"They appear confused," said Mathias, noting that some looked at their hands and then with horror at the bundle of bloodied clothes. He turned away from the window, his face red with anger. "I think I know who that is."653

Marg didn't need an invitation. She followed Mathias out the door and then as he stormed down the stairs. 654

Marg ran hard to keep up with Mathias' swift pace out of the Tavern and down the street, around to the Town Square. His words whirled through her mind.655

A person was the plague?656

The concept nearly boggled her mind, and yet...it could explain so much! Also...657

Her nascent thought faded as she darted after Mathias through the light street traffic. She grinned, admiring his athletic form. She realized she was enjoying this chase more than she expected to...that is, she was enjoying it at all, considering the seriousness of what they were about to deal with. 658

~~659

A Noise was heard at the doors of the Vramer House, interrupting the scene. Suddenly a woman burst into the room. "Merlin! Merlin, you have to come quick. They've killed Edith! In the Town Square. Hurry!!"660

Nora looked at the women, and then picked up Lucky and teleported to the town square... 661

Merlin was shocked, and also a bit annoyed. He had been in the middle of a vital question! He was about to scold the woman, who seemed to be the town gossip, for her impertinence, but she'd run away to another house.662

Aaron and Nora had instantly disappeared. He sighed.663

"You have to go and retrieve them anyways," he thought. Pah Edith. 664

Aaron was struck with confusion. He followed everyone to the town square. There was a crowd. Nora stood next to Aaron. Aaron wasn't the tallest guy around so he had trouble seeing. He stood and waited for something to happen. 665

"This town really is crazy," he mused while teleporting himself to the town square. Thankfully, Aaron and Nora were right in front of him, along with a crowd of magicians and townsfolk alike. He then spotted Edith's body being carted away.666

Nora felt the presence of Aaron and Merlin behind her, not knowing what to say, Nora just turned and stood next to Aaron.667

Merlin stared and then moved over too, so all of the magicians were all in one place... 668

"She was witch they say", a woman nearby said.669

"She killed poor Lynna's beloved, Rendan something."670

"What are yer staring for!" he grunted loudly. They turned to face him. "What are yer going to do, resurrect her? You'll are the ones who said she was a killer remember?" 671

"That's the language they understand," he grunted. "They're getting cheap entertainment out of this."672


The crowd was large. Aaron heard rumors run through the crowd. He decided not to listen and turned to Merlin. 673

"What was that you asked me?" He asked. Merlin repeated his question. 674

"Oh yes, I am." Aaron replied. Merlin crossed his arms and opened his mouth to say something... 675

Nora gasped and turned to Merlin, she had the feeling she had heard to much... "What happened?" he called out. "Was she a friend? Go then!"676

"Anyways," he said, turning to Aaron,"can you take me too meet him? I have to settle some old scores," he thought, rubbing his hands. 677

"Of course." Aaron said. "I need my stuff back anyway." Aaron led Merlin to his masters hut...678

~~679

680

681

At home, Nora woke with Lucky happily chewing her ear. Then, when Lucky realised Nora was awake, he got up and bounded to his food bowl. Slowly getting up Nora gave Lucky his breakfast, then she got changed into a long, flowing, light purple dress. Then she grabbed her staff and slunk into the kitchen and got herself some breakfast.682

After all this, Nora was still tired, so she decided to go for a walk. "Lucky, do you want to go for a walk?"683

Lucky barked happily in response and leaped to her side, then they strode out of the house and into the chilly air.684

It was earlier than Nora thought it was, it was still night!685

"Jeez lucky, could you chew my ear in the morning next time?"686

Wishing she had worn something warmer she kept walking, until eventually she got to the park. Sitting down, she decided she would have a nap on the grass under a large oak tree. Then closing her eyes, she did just that, leaving Lucky to explore and play carelessly. 687

~~688

689


\
A block away from the center of the Night Market lay a Tavern called The Wooden Saddle. Idly kicking her feet on a seat at the bar, Jasmine kept one eye on the door and another on the knife she was turning round and round in her hands. She'd found it in the alley last night and was wondering who it belonged to. Most people who ventured this side of Copper Penny District couldn't afford such wealth and those who could...well, it was best to stay away from those.690

The knife was a flashy affair, all gold and silver on the haft with a ruby the size of an egg nestled at the top of the hilt. Even being seen with something like this was risky but Jasmine couldn't help looking at it. Riskier would be keeping it in her belongings, she'd decided. If someone found it there, heads would roll.691

So she'd made arrangements for it. Soon a young man would be coming in and asking for her. Under the pretext of business the lad would escort her to someone who'd pay a pretty penny for a pretty knife like this. Enough more that she could afford to waste this night. Although if the man was thus inclined, she might be able to do some business, afterward.692

Just then, one of Alistair's bullyboys entered the tavern, sweeping it with his gaze. The noise abated slightly when his eyes touch knots of figures but resumed as soon as he had moved on. Jasmine slipped off her seat and sidled up to him.693

"So, he sent me a good one, did he?" Jasmine purred throatily, running a finger caressingly over the man's muscled arm.694

The man grunted. "Boss's waiting."695

Jasmine smiled seductively and swayed her hops as she exited out the door before him. The man's leering eyes followed her. 696

~697

Marg and Mathias had had raced to the Town Square but the crowd had dispersed and all that was left was the corpse of a frail old woman. Evening had taken the two along the streets and eventually, as the sun disappeared from the sky, to the Night Market. While both had been here before, it had usually been under business circumstances. Now they wandered the stalls in amusement, enjoying each other's company.698

As they passed a narrow alley between buildings, Marg drew Mathias aside as if for a private moment. "We're being watched." she whispered into his collar. Mathias nodded and drew her further into the alley. A moment after they had disappeared, a figure slipped into the alley. Moments later, another figure also travelled down that same path.699

Down one alley and up another the couple traveled, making hairpin turns and frequent backtracks in order to lose their shadow.700

In another part of the maze of back streets, Ambrosia ran headlong, desperately trying to catch up with the couple. Forgetting to be cautious, she whipped around a corner. Another figure, seeing a shape approaching, threw a dagger. Ambrosia wrenched her body out of the way and the throwing dagger clattered harmlessly against the wall. Both figures scattered from this incident.701

A few moments later, Marg and Mathias walked through that very same spot. 702

"I think we lost them." Marg was saying, when she heard a noise behind her. Spinning, she had her weapon half drawn when a dog trotted into view. Both figures relaxed, shooting sheepish looks at each other.703

"I think we may be a little high-strung." commented Mathias, putting away his own weapons. "We should probably return to the market.704

Marg nodded and the couple made to pass the dog and head back the way they had come. Crouching, the dog growled at them, a strange blue light emanating from its eyes. Suddenly, it bounded forward and launched itself at one of them, knocking the figure down.705

The figure went flying backward. the other figure ran to its side, intending to wrench the dog off its new companion but, before it could do so, the dog had bounded away and disappeared into the night.706

Crouching down by Mathias, Marg attempted to bring Mathias back into consciousness, which she assumed he had lost when the dog attacked him. When she couldn't wake him up she looked closer. Dead. She checked his pulse. Mathias was dead. 707

~~708

Eyes opened in a dark underground room of City Hall. A figure sat up on its wooden slab. Looking around, it found no other presences. Sabrina Sommors walked up the stairs and out into the world. 709

In the Park, Victoria's eyes opened wide from her meditation. something has happened... she thought then left the woods as a shadow...710

~~711

Long before the daylight had cracked through Alistair's window, the old man was awake and busy. The enchantment he'd cast over the city had worked. Now, the town was secure: a quarantine that expanded beyond physical means. If anyone had any intentions of entering or leaving the city now, they would have to break his spell.712

It was time to move to the next stage. He withdrew a golden dagger, the very one used to kill Leah - who had risen from the dead recently, he mused. An associate of his had acquired the weapon from Jasmine, who had "mysteriously" disappeared since then.713

Analyzing the weapon, he found that it bore no magic. It was not the instrument of Leah's resurrection. Which made since. After all, Sabrina Sommers had died, too, and risen. And, as planned, Mathias had been murdered by one of Alistair's bullyboys However, whomever held the power to resurrect had been thwarting Alistair's plans.714

And, yet, perhaps he could use this to his advantage. If the necromancer continued to resurrect the fallen, then the killers that stalked the night would be forced to focus on the one responsible. Allowing him more time to procure his desires.715

With a cold grin, he set the dagger aside and folded his hands into his lap. He was expecting visitors. 716

~~717


Aaron led Merlin to his master's hut. He knocked twice. 718

Merlin maintained his composure as a tall man appeared in front of him.719

"Hello, hello Merlin," he said. "Long time no see."720

"Do you happen to have any of books? My spells? My potions? Anything your pathetic little family stole from my castle, and used it to spread the plague?"721

"What are you talking about?" asked Darnan.722

"I have been witnessing your magic for a long time Darnan. Admit your crime!"723

"Aaron, take this man away from my hut," said Darnan crossly. 724

Aaron led Merlin away from his master's hut. He looked back at his master. The door had shut and the blinds drawn. Aaron looked at Merlin. Then he looked forward. He couldn't help thinking 'Now what?'. Aaron looked to Merlin.725

"Now what?" He said. 726

"Go, you nincompoop," Merlin said grumpily. 727

Before Aaron could reply, he decided to go back to his castle-again, and start working on his potions. He was pretty sure his second batch of potions had spoilt. "Never mind," he thought, "you can always make another one."728

Aaron became so angry at Merlin he couldn't describe it. He walked away angrily.729

Aaron went to the Market to buy some food. As he entered he noticed something peculiar. The shadowy figure that attacked Lucky! Aaron's rage erupted even further. He ran as fast as possibly towards the man. His features became clear. The man ran when he saw Aaron. Aaron followed him around a tree. A branch collided with Aaron's head and he was instantly knocked unconscious... 730

~~731


Sunlight filtered through the large double-door window of Alex's master bedroom at the Maplewood Estate. The light spilled over the wooden bed, Alex still asleep amidst the satin sheets. Rolling away from the light, he only grumbled at the awakening warmth.732

A hour later, when the sun finally rose above his window, Alex rose from the bed, his head swimming.733

"Uhh," he muttered. "I feel drunk."734

Nonetheless, he needed to get to work. He dressed and made his way to the small garden outside. The seedling had not yet sprouted, though he didn't expect it would. Only a few days had passed since it's creation and subsequent planting.735

He tipped a bowl of water over the garden and retreated into the house. 736

~~737


Leah arrived at the Market again. She looked around, still confused about what had happened. The last thing she remembered was searing pain and then only blackness. Until she had woken up in the morgue, that was.738

She shuddered again at the mental image of the corpses there. Market street was quiet today, and still. Leah feared that someone else was about to die.739

"I hate this town," she said darkly. 740

Merlin was walking back through the Market when he heard the Leah.741

"At last, someone mirrors my own thoughts," he thought to himself. 742

He turned around to see her face, and gasped. "You were dead, weren't you?" he asked, shocked. 743

Leah jumped as someone addressed her. Before she could reply to Merlin, however, he became distracted by something and she took the opportunity to run off.744

Merlin was about to question the young woman when he noticed that Aaron was chasing a shadowy figure. Oh please, not that *bunny* again," he thought, remembering the mysterious bartender whose words had been slowly driving him up the wall. He ran over to Aaron, and asked him, "Boy, are you okay? Where is your master?"745

He looked around. The young woman seemed to have disappeared.746

Leah didn't want to answer any questions about how she had died and was still alive. She didn't know the answers, but the villagers rarely saw things in such ways. If they got even the slightest rumor that she was an evil witch or had befriended one, they would surely kill her as they had Edith.747

Quickly scurrying away from the town center, Leah made her way back toward her master's house before stopping near the gate.748

"If Master thinks me dead," she said contemplatively, "then he will not expect me to return. I am free."749

This brought a wide grin to her face and she skipped away. At least something pleasant had come of her "death." 750

Merlin decided to leave Aaron alone-his master would surely help him. He decided to go in pursuit of the figure instead. He ran after it though his old age slowed him down. However, it was too late. The man had disappeared.751

"Not again," Merlin sighed. He turned around. Aaron was still lying on the ground.752

"Boy, are you okay?" he asked. 753

Aaron slowly awoke to see a face he wasn't familiar with. He sat up.754

"Hello kind stranger, can you tell me where I am?" Aaron asked. The person looked confused.
Aaron, it's me. Merlin." Said the person. Aaron tilted his head in confusion. 755

"Merlin? That is an unusual name." Said Aaron.756

Merlin looked at Aaron. "Boy, I do believe you have amnesia." He said.757

Aaron chuckled at the word. "Funny word." He mumbled. Merlin crossed his arms. He helped Aaron up.758

"Let me ask you a few questions." Said Merlin. "Do you know your name?" He asked.759

"Aaron, I think." Replied Aaron.760

"Do you know you're master's name?" Asked Merlin. Aaron thought for a moment.761

"No, uh... no." Replied Aaron.762

"Do you know you're brother's name?"763

"I have a brother!?" Aaron asked.764

"Yes, amnesia." Said Merlin.765

"That sounds fun, can I go there?" Aaron asked. Merlin gave Aaron a sour look and walked away. Aaron began to wander the streets of Helmsforth, completely clueless of his life. All he knew, was his name. 766

~~767

Marg shambled aimlessly, dark circles beneath her eyes. It had been two days since she had slept. Her turquoise gaze searched quietly, endlessly, for explanation, for rationality among the morning chaos of the opening shops and running children. And found none.768

Perhaps they did not yet know their hero was slain. They should be weeping.769

Hells, I should be weeping, Marg thought dully. Unlike me, without Mathias, this town is well and truly fucked. A man's laugh, loud and cheerful among the pedestrians, startled her and reminded her of the tall, strong hero. She gritted her teeth, her mind flashing back.770

Marg stared in disbelief. "Mathias!" she hissed urgently, shaking the swordsman's shoulder. Slowly, against her will, the horrible truth sunk in. He was gone, suddenly and by evil magic, though her traitorous fingers still felt his warmth beneath their touch.771

She pulled them away into fists; conflicting emotions whirled through her mind. Tears welled but did not fall.772

The dog's eyes had glowed...it was long gone, but she'd gotten at least a cursory look at it. Right now, it was the only lead she had to whoever had finally succeeded in murdering Mathias.773

She bent over his still form, blinking the tears from her eyes; they were lost in his hair. Her lucky pendant slipped out of her shirt and dangled over him. "I'd give you all the luck in the world if it could bring you back," she said softly, then lowered her head and kissed him. Affection and apology blended into one warm moment. "I'm sorry that all I can do is avenge you, Mathias. But I'll do it if it's the last act of my life."774

In a mood devoid of outer emotion, Marg had arranged for Mathias' body to be delivered to the morgue at City Hall, had walked beside the wagon the whole way there. They had laid him on a slab beside Sabrina, and then closed the door, leaving her to her silent thoughts. 775

Marg had spend the rest of the night wandering, hoping to cross paths with that dog. Or with another street gang. Or perhaps a drunken mugger. But the world seemed to sense her mood and kept its distance.776

Now it was morning. She was exhausted and footsore. If the damnable little mongrel came prancing down the street at the head of the noisiest parade in the kingdom, Marg doubted she'd be in a frame of mind to notice. She let her feet carry her to the Tavern.777

Marg staggered up the stairs, waving a hand to forestall Sukie's offer of breakfast, from behind the bar. 778

Once in her room, she tugged off her boots and set her belt aside, drawing one sword to sleep with. Her fingers played across a throwing dagger, and the world crystallized for a moment. She stood, spun and hurled the weapon at her door, imagining the dark, faceless form of Mathias' killer standing before it. The blade penetrated the entire thickness of her door, but rather than feeling satisfied, Marg only felt more inadequate. 779

She had no target. Not yet.780

One hour of sleep. Maybe two, she told herself, collapsing onto the mattress, sword handle in her palm. Then I'll hunt for that blasted dog again.781

~~782

In the Park, Nora woke to a loud bird calling in the tree she fell asleep under. Then she gazed to the sky, midday. "Lucky!" She called, but he wasn't there. "LUCKY!!!" Nora called again, louder. Then after a minute he came. "Where were you?" She asked, expecting no reply. And, she got none. So, stretching, she got up and headed home, she needed to restock all her potions... 783

Nora was walking along when a girl had happily skipped past her, what's she so happy about? Then Nora turned again and saw the young girl's face. It was Leah!784

"Excuse me, Leah?" Nora called. The girl turned to stare, but said nothing, so Nora did instead "I know where your going, I wont tell your master, good luck to you... But, I would like to know how you faired, in death. If you wish not to talk, then so be it, but, I am curious..." Nora sighed, the girl didn't look like she was going to share her information "If you wish to be off, then go. But, I really would like to know, I wouldn't tell a soul. But, it be up to you, choose." 785

Leah regarded Nora for a moment, unsure whether she wanted to talk. She had gotten kinda used to not speaking to people. She shrugged her shoulders, "I don't recall. I just know that I'm alive." 786

Nora looked at Leah, almost positive that she was lying. But, clearly she didn't want to talk about it. So Nora dropped it.787

"Off you go, I know where you're going. I wont tell your master, promise." Nora smiled truthfully "You wont be able to leave the town, but I have a couple spots in Helmsforth that hardly any knows about. You don't have to, but if you hide out at one of those places, your master will never find you." Nora winked, then handed Leah a map, which clearly marked out Nora's secret spots, then to make the scene more fun, Nora vanished.788

Nora laughed as she ended up in her house, Leah face! It left Nora laughing so hard she cried. Then, pulling herself together she picked up Lucky, and got to work making more potions. 789

~~790


In the Inn, Marg awoke, groggy with excessive sleep, and cursed aloud as she saw the stripes of sunlight seeping through her slatted shutters. She rose, redid her braids and bound them with burnt umber wraps, then descended for a quick meal before getting back out to look for that accursed dog again...791

Dogs everywhere, but not the right one, Marg thought, gritting her teeth. It smelled old and neglected back here, though people were about their business uncaringly. Ragged children ran about, kicking an inflated bladder for entertainment. It probably came from a cow, though at this stage it was so ragged and dirty it could have been a solid ball of rancid fat, and no one would be able to tell. The kids would probably keep playing with it, too.792

And then...the break she had been hoping for! The dog that had killed Mathias was trotting happily down an alley. Marg drew a short sword silently from its sheath and soundlessly padded after the dog.793

It led her to the next corner, where she overheard a conversation: "...I have a couple spots in Helmsforth that hardly any knows about. You don't have to, but if you hide out at one of those places, your master will never find you."794

Marg peeked around the corner at knee height. It was Nora, and she was speaking to...Leah?? As Marg was still adjusting to the shock of seeing the girl alive, Nora passed Leah a map. The little dog was just trotting up to her heels, wagging his tail happily, when Nora vanished into thin air, leaving both the dog and the resurrected girl stunned for a moment.795

Marg gritted her teeth. Her lucky pendant had helped her find the dog, but fate mocked her now, letting Nora escape when Marg was this close to getting answers, and possibly revenge, for Mathias' death. 796

Seven hells, Marg cursed silently. Maybe if she followed the girl, she'd lead her to one of these secret places of Nora's.797

The dog began to wander off, having failed to meet up with Nora, and Marg suddenly had another idea. She sheathed her sword, whipped off her tabard and leaped onto the dog, gathering him up without harming him.798

"I should kill you," she hissed to the scrawny beast, as she slipped a dart coated with a sleeping drug into the fur at his neck. The dog quickly went limp. "But I'd rather kill someone who's actually guilty."799

Leaving Leah studying the map, Marg headed back the way she'd come. If magic had killed Mathias, no mere constabulary was going to track that down.800

~~801

Merlin decided to walk away when Aaron gave evasive replies to his questions, but then he decided it really was too unkind to leave Aaron behind.802

"Just think of the possibilities...an apprentice for free! And none of those Noras and Luckys," he thought to himself.803

Before anyone could see, he rushed over to Aaron and, making sure no one was looking, quickly teleported both of them to the living room of Vramer House.804

Aaron looked around bewildered. "Where am I?" he asked, confused.805

"You are my slave." said Merlin imperiously. "Do you understand? Now go to the room to the right of this hall and stay there."806

He walked away to his laboratory, satisfied. 807

Aaron was bewildered when he appeared in the beautiful house. Merlin gave him an order, saying that Aaron was his slave. Aaron entered the room. It was a small room. There was no furniture, paintings, or even a bed. Aaron racked his brain wondering whether he was being tricked. Even if Merlin was telling the truth, Aaron snuck out of the room. Merlin was nowhere in sight. Aaron slipped out the door.808

Aaron continued wandering aimlessly for a long time, expecting to remember something. He looked around in awe at the city. He noticed the large walls that were around the city perimeter. Suddenly Aaron felt dizzy. He leaned against a nearby building. The dizziness faded.809

"Oh..." Aaron moaned as he clutched his head. He kept walking groping around in his pockets. He clutched some coins, a piece of moldy food, a small journal and-810

"The heck is this?" Aaron said pulling the object out. It was small and judging by the odd glow it gave off... magic. Aaron didn't care what it was. He tossed it into a nearby well and strode off toward the park. 811

As Aaron walked away from the well he had thrown the object in, the object began to pulse malevolently. Suddenly it seemed to liquefy into a think purple goo. Trembling, it writhed before suddenly separating into numerous pieces and diving into the heart of the water.812

The goo spread throughout the city's water systems, becoming transparent as it thinned. soon, almost the entire water supply of the city was tainted with it's mysterious influence.
Somewhere in the city, Merlin's uncle rubbed his hands gleefully on seeing the tainted water supply. Now to see the havoc it would rain on the whole city...he just loved putting in dangerous objects in the wrong hands! Even if they were those of an innocent person...813

When Merlin finished his experiments, which as usual, produced no fruit, he felt very tired. He heard no noise coming from Aaron's room, and was thus assured that his slave was still resting there. He yawned and decided to check his treasury before going to sleep.
He was dismayed at the sight of the giant vast cavern with almost no gold coins. There were only a few. How was he supposed to buy food?
The water supply had also been cut off due to his failure to pay bills. He decided to beg water from someone else.814

As he was walking back to his room, he realized that Aaron was a bit too silent. He peeked in, and was horrified to see that Aaron was not there anymore.815

Merlin immediately performed a summoning spell, and brought Aaron to the castle. 816

Aaron was upset when he appeared in the dank room again. He scowled and saw Merlin who scolded him severely.817

"I told you you were my slave from now onwards!" Merlin roared. "How dare you escape?"818

Aaron became extremely angry. "I'll have you know that I will not stand for this trash heap you call a room. If you even THINK I will stay in this room for more than five minutes than you are so badly mistaken that I may have to use force to beat it into you!"819

Merlin looked incredibly shocked at Aaron's anger. He crossed his arms. He stood still, staring at Aaron for a moment. Aaron believed he was being given some sort of "look". Aaron snapped his fingers in Merlin's face and was shocked at the spark that emitted from his fingers. Merlin collapsed. He was frozen in what looked like a layer of ice over his skin. His face became red with rage. Aaron left him there to explore the castle. He came to a small room that had large shelves and several potions in small tubes and jars. There was a table covered in paper worked and what looked like brand new potions.820

"Whoa...Merlin's laboratory!" Aaron exclaimed. Aaron heard Merlin's muffled shouts of anger from the other room. Aaron slipped on a potion that had spilled on the floor apparently. His head landed with a thud against the ground and he suddenly remembered who Merlin was, and who Aaron's true master was.821

Aaron unfroze Merlin.822

"I got a portion of my memory back Merlin. You're not my master, Darnan Hun is. You are just another victim of the plague, as am I. I bid you good day." Aaron walked to the door and opened it halfway. He paused and said, "I hope the plague kills you." coldly. 823

Aaron stormed away from Merlin's house, fuming. He still felt dizzy from the bump on his head. His mind went back to the last words he had told Merlin. "I hope the plague kills you." Somehow, he felt more uneasy about what he had said than he expected to. Perhaps because he had caught the plague himself a few days back.824

Merlin rubbed his head...What had happened...825

He then looked at his laboratory, and then gasped in horror on seeing the spilt potions. He cleaned it up using one of his spells, and then went to sleep. 826

Merlin tossed and turned in his bed. Going to sleep at midday, no matter how badly you needed it, was never the easiest thing to do. Suddenly, a banging was heard at the door of the Vramer house. Muttering to himself grumpily, Merlin went to answer it.827

Outside the door, the guard waited impatiently. Just as the door began to open, a wave of magic rolled through the air. The guard slumped in a heap on the doorstep as Merlin looked on the figure mildly. Finally shrugging his shoulders at the anomaly, he gestured and the body disappeared, transported to some other place.828

So wrapped up in his thoughts was Aaron that when a body suddenly appeared in the road in front of him, he tripped over it and went sprawling onto the cobbles."Ow." he muttered, before clambering to his feet and turning to examine the body.829

As he touched it, a sudden wave of dizziness came over him. His vision swam and he slumped to the cobbles himself. His last thought before dying was 'Well, I guess the dizziness wasn't just the fall.'830

Aaron, who had cursed Merlin with the plague, was dead and Merlin was not. 831

~~832

Victoria ran into Sabrina Sommors on her way to the tavern. "Woah sorry Miss.." Her jaw dropped. she had just seen this lady dead! They must have been mistaken. "Hello," she held out her hand. "My name is Victoria Poole...nice to meet you!" 833

The girl seemed to not noticed and just kept walking. How rude! Victoria thought. She followed the girl waiting for the girl to answer her. 834

FORGET THIS! WHY IS NO ONE IN THIS TOWN AT LEAST A LITTLE FRIENDLY! "Uggg...I'm leaving." she said an walked away from the girl angry. "Can't a least someone be friendly?" 835

~~836

Merlin stepped out of his house, blinking. Why had he stepped out? He winced, trying to recall his memory.837

"Um...get a drink in the tavern? No, my head aches too much for that. Err..buy ingredients for a spell?"
He beamed. "Yes, that's it, I have to buy ingredients for a spell!"838

He stepped out into the sunshine. Despite the quarantine, people were still making merry. But as soon as they saw him, the wheels of suspicion started to turn in their heads.839

"Hey Merlin, whom are you going to kill next after Aaron? Darnan?" one man called out.840

"Merlin, please spare my children! What we have done to you?"841

He was fairly puzzled. He had killed someone? No, of course not, he had not done anything except going to the tavern and making potions.842

And who was Aaron? He closed his eyes, and the image of a young boy appeared in his mind. He remembered talking to Aaron...he had been a nice boy...843

"I haven't killed anyone," he said fairly puzzled.844

"Yes you have!" an old woman yelled. "Everyone knows that the last person Aaron was seen with was you!"845

"Yes, yes, everyone knows it was you," they chanted, till a frightened Merlin ran into his house again.846

Merlin exited through the back door of his castle. Never mind He had been dealing with the superstitious villagers for many years.847

He wandered through the markets, looking for yew root. It was the last chance he had left, after which it was back to running a soup kitchen-that is, if anyone would take his soup.848

He chanced upon a young girl, whom he vaguely recognized exclaiming that she wanted to leave the town.849

"I'm sorry little girl," he said nodding his head,"but the town is quarantined. You can't go anywhere."850

~~
Nora woke, and Lucky was gone.
"Lucky? Lucky?" Nora called, her voice cracked with worry. She waited patiently, but he did not come. Nora felt tears well up in her eyes, but she held them back and quickly made up some posters, they said:851

852


LOST! 853

ATTENTION ALL, MY DOG LUCKY HAS GONE MISSING.
YOU ALL KNOW HIM.
HE FOLLOWS ME EVERYWHERE, AND I MISS HIM LOTS.
IF YOU SEE HIM, PLEASE, I CAN'T BEG ENOUGH.
BRING HIM BACK TO ME.854

855

REWARD
I AM ALSO GIVING A REWARD FOR WHOEVER BRINGS HIM BACK HOME.
$1,000,000
ALSO, A LIFETIME SUPLY OF ANY AND ALL OF MY POTIONS (WHEN NEEDED)856

PLEASE, HE MUST STILL BE IN TOWN.
THERE IS NO WAY HE COULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT - QUARANTINE857


ALSO, IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION ON LUCKY.
LIKE IF YOU HAVE SEEN HIM ANYWHERE I'M GIVING OUT THREE FREE POTIONS.858


PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION CONTACT ME.
I WILL BE IN THE TOWN SQUARE 24/7 UNTIL I GET MY LUCKY BACK.859


~NORA860

861


Nora was crying by the time she finished writing the posters. Lucky was her first and only companion. But she bit her lip and set outside to get her posters out on the street.862


Streets 863

Once Nora had put the posters up all over town, she moved to the town square. She would stay as long as she needed too. 864

~~865

Alex strode through the market, looking at the various items for sell. It was quieter now after Edith's death, as if everyone knew they had killed her but did not know why.866

The more he thought about it, the more it seemed to Alex that a magic-user was responsible for the chaos in town. But he pushed the thought aside and bought a bottle of wyrmroot for an experiment.867

~~868

Andi sighed, sitting in her room in the Inn. There was a plague in the town. One worse than they'd seen before, apparently. She wasn't sure if there was even a healer left in town. What could she do to help? 869

Stepping out, Andi tracked down Alex. "Alex, it's good to see you're still around, too. What's been going on?" 870

Alex smiled as Andi approached. "It's been a while," he replied. "I'd begun to fear you'd contracted this blasted disease, too."871

Marg spotted Alex among the market stalls, and, changing her plans, angled to intercept him. She eased past a matron with a string of braided onions and caught the alchemist's hazel gaze.872

"Good day, Alexander," she greeted him, shifting the blue bundled tabard to both arms. "Might I trouble you with a quick question?" 873

Prompted by a nerve-wracked looking Marg, Alex replied cautiously, "What is it?" 874

Marg's eyes shifted to Andi for a moment, then back to the alchemist.875

She lowered her voice to a loud whisper that barely carried over the background murmurs of the market. "Is the ability to determine whose weapon this is--" she subtly shifted the bundle in her blue tabard--"within the scope of alchemy, or do I need a mage for that?"876

Alex examined the tabard for a moment before deciding, "There are a number of spells which could do it, true. But the darker nature of alchemy can produce similar effects. Of course, it depends upon what the weapon is." 877

Andi watched curiously. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew there was enough problems that people were scared. "It's not just the plague, is it guys?" 878

Marg managed a grin for Andi. "No, I don't think so. But it has a cold nose and a waggly tail." She turned to Alex. "Do you think it'll still work on a living creature?"