"FUCK!" Kasper screamed.
He took the framed painting of the mayor and his family and slammed it into the ground. With his rage reigning supreme, he put a breath of his Gift into the frame, the painting bursting, the floor cracking. Despite raging for ten minutes, he still hungered for destruction. But unfortunately, there was nothing left anymore.
The mayor's office had looked like shit beforehand. The bastard had no taste and lacked the wit to properly decorate it. Everything here had lacked the finer touch, revealing him to be nothing but a pretender. Fucking lowborn waste. A peasant that could enjoy more luxury than his kind deserved. That he had thought the little wealth he had received for looking after this noname place would make him part of Kasper's class. Disgusting!
As Kasper clenched his fist, his breathing slowing down, he did feel some shame, though. The mayor would have to tear his office down and rebuild it. Not one piece of furniture had survived. Pieces of the chair could be identified as such, but only as Kasper had thrown them out of the window, shattered glass covering the backyard. Moonlight shone through the broken window, the night nearing its end.
His mother would be disappointed. Not because of his fit, but that he had failed to suppress his Gift, all debris grounded to dust. As a member of a Sacred House, his worth is judged by his level of control of his inherited abilities.
Kasper bared his teeth, his failure fueling his cooling wrath to new heights. A fucking no-name chosen over him? Why would Blackbone take this Ravenspawn over him? He hadn't done shit on the hunt except pissing himself. Fucking dragons. Always going for ruffians instead of Harras Chosens. Why grant such a rat, whose only purpose is to shit out a few children or die in war, such powers instead of him? Weren't dragons supposed to be wise and smart? Everon combined with his Gift, Kasper could fight and kill a bloody Cyoon.
The mayor opened the door, his head lurking through the slit. "Y… your Lordschaft…"
"Who allowed you to come in?!" Kasper yelled. "I forbade you to disturb me! Or do I need to teach you manners, plebeian?!"
The mayor twitched like he had been whipped. "N… no… I…"
Harras, this felt good. Kasper never grew tired of it. He didn't even need to paint a picture for the mayor. He could order him to dance like a child and piss himself right now, and he would do it.
"Did Lance finally burn the Ravenspawn and the traitor trash?!"
"N… no…"
Bless Harras. The mayor had disturbed him for no good reason.
"Then what are you doing here, peasant?" Kasper asked, stalking towards the mayor.
"I…"
Kasper grabbed the smaller man by the neck. Soft skin, no muscles, never worked hard. They were the most fun. "I could rob you off your skin, and no one would care," Kasper whispered. "I could tear out your eyeballs and force your daughters to fucking eat them for my enjoyment. How old are they again? Twelve? Old enough for my soldiers, I can tell you that. I could make you watch. You and your whore wife. Quite the beauty. Perhaps I should…"
"What should you, Kaspy?"
Kasper's blood drained from his face, and he let go of the mayor. Fuck.
He hadn't seen her. Anna crossed her arms, standing behind the mayor. Her usual smile was tainted with something darker. She wore the same mantle as Kasper. And hat, boots, and pants. Even the same fucking leather strip for her hair, both binding it at the neck in a ponytail.
Anna strolled over to them. She dug her fingers into the mayor's shoulder, making him squeak underneath her grasp. She grabbed Kasper with her other hand around his ear, pulling him close enough for their noses to touch. "Whore, you said?"
Kasper gulped, sweating. He could see the corpse of the mayor's wife already. "N… no, Schatz. I didn't…"
"Are you sure, my love? Because I'm pretty sure I didn't mishear."
Kasper let out a nervous laugh. "N… no. I was just… sharing a crude joke with our dear host. We… were having quite the good laugh, weren't we?"
Kasper gave the mayor a kick, making him join his laugh. Anna's eyes bore into Kasper. The horror he saw in them. The ones he had helped to grow inside her.
Whether she believed him, Kasper couldn't tell. But Anna's demeanor changed, as if his words had switched something inside her. The promise of blood gone, replaced with the joy of a young woman in love. "Oh, I knew it, Kaspy. You would never be unfaithful.
She kissed him deep, her passion too much for Kasper. He tried to break off her embrace, but she didn't let go until she was satisfied. Harras, she looked so happy.
But as Anna looked at the mayor, her warmth faded from her, a cold indifference taking hold of her. "You are dismissed, pleb. And keep a close eye on your wife. Rumors from foul tongues can lead to foul outcomes."
The mayor nodded fiercely. Whatever had remained of his self-dignity, he abandoned for the sake of his family, hurrying away like the scared mess he was. Kasper found no joy in the sight, Anna running her hand over his cheeks.
"Oh, Schatz, what an awful day," Anna said. "You must have suffered greatly. Being with that heretic."
Kasper growled, slapping away her hand. "Do you think I'm a coward? This Ravenspawn is no danger to me!"
His words hit Anna hard, trembling. She appeared like the frightened girl she once was. Desperate to please him. "I… I would never claim such a thing. Kaspy, of course you wouldn't be scared. You are the Lockram's Pride. A Child of Drom proves no threat to you."
Kasper nodded, satisfied with her reply. "I take it you had the vision, too."
"Yes, I have," Anna said, folding her hands in prayer. "Our dear Father shared them with me."
"The rest of the Empire, too, I take it."
"Yes. From beggar to your mother herself, they all heard Harras's warning."
Kasper grimaced, taking out his pocket flask filled with liquor. "Did she send you?"
Anna ripped the flask out of Kasper's hand, staring daggers at him. "No… and yes. I am here out of my own free will."
Kasper rubbed his temples. He should have known she would do this. "Anna, speak plainly."
"Well," Anna said, her timidness returning. "You departed without waiting for me. You know you shouldn't leave me behind like this. I fear for you."
"Why? Because I'm a helpless child?"
"I fear for your soul, Kasper. You and I, we live in sin, and you have grown accustomed to it. I will not allow you to fall victim to Drom and his… temptations."
Harras, this was an awful day. "Fine. I should have brought you along. You're right."
Anna beamed. Kasper put on his best fake smile, petting her shoulders. "Now, Schatz, please tell me what my mother told you. She contacted you, right?"
"Yes. She had tried to reach you, but she said you didn't reply."
"Well, I didn't have my Nexus on me. Like you said… today was a lot. I should have. So, what does she want?"
"She has ordered us with the pursuit of Liron Sturm. We are to find his whereabouts and execute the heretic. As Lockram, his sin is partially your family's, as he is a son of Nordland. We are not to return home until he is dead."
Anna gasped as Kasper's fingers pinched into her shoulders. He wanted nothing more than to slam her against the wall. She would have let him, crying and shivering like she was helpless against him. Kasper swallowed down the poison he was about to spit at her. "Why?" he asked, pressing the word out.
Tears formed in Anna's eyes. "It is our duty…"
"Why me?! What's with the fucking dragon that failed to kill the child?!"
"Sir… Sir Lance has been ordered to return to Sannara…"
"With the Ravenspawn still on the run? What's with honor? It's his fault! He should…"
"It's the Resistance."
Kasper blinked. Whatever had held him back was gone. He slammed Anna against the wall. Despite his anger, he kept his voice steady. To his own surprise. "Anna, I'm fucking tired of your act. What is going on?"
"The Resistance started to attack our armies and sabotage our progression," Anna said, the words gushing out of her. "They utilized every resource they had. They caused the Qilesh to attack several of our outposts. We have seen something similar inside the Empire. Countless riots, assassinations, and assaults on important infrastructure. It is utter madness. Everywhere.
"Lance and every other Knight Dracon have been ordered back to Sannara, aiding in fighting back the Qilesh and defending our territory. We simply don't have the resources for a dedicated hunt. Especially in the northern regions of Nordland."
Kasper processed this, his eyes dancing around. "Those fuckers. They really want the Ravenspawn, huh? That traitor scum was Resistance then. He must have contacted them."
He let go of Anna, walking through the broken office, thinking. "Who else will be assigned to this? We can't be the only ones they are sending. What's with Hild?"
Anna rubbed her shoulder, catching her breath. "She is aiding your mother. The Inquisition has chosen one of their agents to take the case, but they have emphasized that they expect all of the Sacred Houses to help.
"The Lorraines have been hit the hardest. They will not be of any assistance. The Urachs have promised support. They refused to provide any specifics, but they have assured us two of their assassins are commissioned with the assassination of Liron Sturm."
"Pah, fucking Urachs! Like we can't trust those cunts! They won't send any of their cutthroats that have any value. And it wouldn't make sense! They're too far away. The Ravenspawn will be long gone before they show up. Unless… unless they have some stationed here in our territory! I knew it! They swore they wouldn't do this! There you see the worth of an Urach's word."
Anna studied Kasper. Something was on her mind. "What do you want to do?"
"Well, it's obvious. It is our duty to kill the Ravenspawn. And I'll be damned if some Urach rat gets the kill before us." That would make his name big. The slayer of Drom's Chosen. He would finally get the respect, admiration, and perhaps fear he always wanted. The same Nag had enjoyed.
"Oh, I knew it," Anna laughed, throwing herself at Kasper. "Ah, Kaspy, you truly are the Lockram's Pride."
Kasper smiled. "Of course I am. But say, there's more to it?"
Anna nodded, teary eyed. "Should we succeed, we are finally allowed to marry."
"Wh… what?"
"Yes," Anna said, laughing. "Your mother promised me. And she also said that she will reverse the alterations of our bodies. We can finally have a legitimate child. One she will accept."
Kasper drew Anna close, hugging her. He didn't want her to see his face. He could still hear her cries when his mother had taken their newborn from them. She had done it herself, honor binding her to it. She had never told them where she had buried their child. Kasper guessed she hadn't bothered, leaving the corpse in the river.
"That's wonderful news," he lied. The least he could do for Anna was give her this moment of hope. But Kasper knew his mother. Hope wasn't something a Lockram ought to do.
…
The first rows of Silverlight flooded Lichtwald. The last of the fires still raged. Four Eyes had watched the dragon scorch the forest with the rest of his pack. They kept their distance, knowing the chaos that would ensue. They had returned, though, taking advantage of the strange situation.
Something had happened with the humans. They were hunting something, sending several packs out. They made easy prey for Four Eyes and his pack. The humans had made surprised faces when they leaped at them. Or had they made scared faces? Horrified ones? Was there a difference?
Four Eyes struggled to tell with humans, their faces ever shifting in minute ways. To his pack's dismay, the humans had learned from losing their people and hadn't tried to enter Lichtwald again. But they had gotten their full stomachs, so they didn't care much. The humans they had eaten were strange. No hair, no eyes, and no guts. Tasted good nonetheless.
Though Four Eyes still starved, but not for food. He could smell the human. The one with black hair. He was in the forest. Far away, but they could pursue him. With the humans moving around, it wouldn't be easy, but it would be possible. However, their pack leader and father, Grayhorn, refused. He wanted to take advantage of whatever madness had taken them. Four Eyes knew there would be no other free meal. Humans were smart. They would not make the same mistake again.
His siblings agreed with Four Eyes, wanting to take revenge against all the humans that ruined their trap. The one with the weapon was too dangerous, even Grayhorn running away. At the moment, at least. All they needed was the right moment. The black-haired would be easier. He had taken his fifth eye because of Four Eyes's arrogance. He would learn out of this. Improve. But only after spreading the black-haired's guts.
Four Eyes walked over to Grayhorn, resting on the ground. His father raised his head, looking at him. Four Eyes pointed with his snout towards the black-haired's direction. Grayhorn had noticed his scent, too. His father growled, showing his son his fangs. The message was clear. But Four Eyes had enough of his father's complacency.
He returned in kind, baring his fangs at Grayhorn. Without hesitation, his father was on him. He rose with surprising speed, snapping at him. He didn't use his antlers, and neither did Four Eyes. They weren't interested in ending each other's lives.
Four Eyes had never won against his father. While being younger, Grayhorn had the experience he lacked, evading his son's attacks with ease. The rest of the pack watched. It became clear that Four Eyes wouldn't win, but he knew this to be an advantage. As with the black-haired, he feigned weakness, his lost eye still hurting him.
With Grayhorn's experience came a sense of superiority, too, believing himself better than his child. This made him repeat his son's mistake, growing arrogant. As the black haired had done with him, Four Eyes dodged an attack from his father, countering with full force. He took his father by surprise, his fangs around his neck.
He slammed him into the ground, hard enough to make the trees around them shake. Grayhorn stared at his son, not having the strength to continue the fight. Four Eyes pressed a paw on his father's chest, growling at him one final time before releasing him. He would remain the pack leader, as a parent ought to, but he would follow his son's wish.
Four Eyes howled at the rising Silver Moon, his siblings joining in. Grayhorn did so, too, hesitant at first. With this, it was decided. The black-haired would die.
…
On held her blade high, letting the Silverlight reflect in it. No flaws. As expected.
She put her sword away, leaning back. Casar's Summit was no beauty, a broken thing torn asunder during Dragonfall. Hard to believe that this mountain birthed the Society of the Dragon and nearly watched its death.
Many of her brethren avoided Casar's Summit. After forging their armor and sword here, becoming a full Knight Dracon, they never returned. On liked it here. It was calm and never crowded. If she had to wait, there was no better place. And after the new vision haunted her dreams, she needed something that offered her comfort.
Carran sighed in On's mind. You should have seen it all these years ago. Our pride and joy, it was.
On nodded, looking at a broken marble pillar floating next to her. It was, On thought.
Carran laughed. Ah, girl, your disregard for the grander things never ceases to amuse me. There is no shame in beauty and awe.
Never claimed there was, On thought. Wouldn't call it the grander things in life, though.
Carran barked a laugh at that. He was one of the few she could be silent with, never pushing her to talk. Should he open a conversation, he wanted her to know or understand something. Or he wanted to trick her into yet another debate.
Some might say the same about farming. Or knitting. Or watching the dawn.
On smiled at that. With everybody else, she would not have tolerated this. But this old bastard was different. She could hear his devious smile as he had said the words. If he wanted another loss, she would deliver him one.
You know that…
A ripple reached her mind. On sighed. She should have turned her Nexus off. She pulled it out, attaching it to her temple. "Yes?"
"On?" Gram's voice sounded in her mind. "For Solia's sake, where are you?"
"At Casar's Summit."
"What?! I ordered you to Sannara! Lance and Logan have already arrived. We need you to scout and…"
"I can't."
Gram waited for On to continue, but she didn't. "The Empire will take care of the Ravenspawn, On. We need you here."
"You've seen the vision. Liron killed Augustus. He can't be underestimated. I will wait here should he try to cross over to Sannara."
"Harras protect us. Don't call the Emperor by his name. He's not some farmer boy."
On didn't respond.
"The Lockrams and the Urachs have pledged their support. Aren't they and the Inquisition enough?"
On rolled her eyes, about to give a disdainful response, but Carran stepped in. Don't.
On took a deep breath. Carran was correct. She had to play politics a bit. "Truth be told, I don't think so. They only sent their dispensable. I don't think they will catch him. It'd be foolish to have no one guard Casar's Summit and the skies between Sannara and Solis. And let's not forget that Everon chose him. He has to be dangerous."
Gram groaned. "On, you will be my death. Don't fucking mention Blackbone. What a catastrophe. But fine. Keep a close eye out for the Ravenspawn. But once he's caught, killed, or too much time has passed, you'll fly back to us! Understood?"
"Aye," she said, ending the connection.
Carran giggled. He always enjoyed the show. On watched the dawn. At least Gram hadn't mentioned anything about her having to kill Liron. On didn't care that he had killed Augustus in the vision. Let the Empire burn. Wasn't much of her concern.
No, she wanted to know who he was. Not everyday that Everon chose a new rider. And Blackbone had vanished after the original vision, no dragon being able to find him.
She drew out her blade, examining the steel yet again. She wanted to know whether he would prove a threat to the common folk. If yes, too bad for him.
…
What a lovely day it was. Amor whistled to himself, finishing up stitching the boy's coat whole again. He examined his work, satisfied. He returned the coat to the boy, smiling. "Here you go, Peter. But be more cautious next time."
Peter took the coat, relieved. His mother would have killed him had she found his coat torn yet again. "Thank you, Mr. Ramm."
"You're welcome, Peter," Amor said.
He watched the boy run back to his friends, playing with no second thought or sorrow. Ah, the privileges of children. Every so often he did miss the innocence he had lost. It was good to know that they could play without worry after the visions. Many townsfolk feared their meaning, calling them a curse of the Ravenspawn and his father. But as long as they remained in his dreams, Amor would be fine with them. After all, they lived in a strange world, though they did cause some concern for him.
Amor continued to knit on his scarf. He sat on a chair in front of the hut the mayor had provided him with. Nothing special, but still lovely. Amor enjoyed the Silverlight, the day still young. He whistled a new melody he had heard in the pub last night.
Feldsang was a lovely town. Amor had been ordered to stay here incognito. Like most towns in Nordland, they disliked him at first. His accent marked him as a Sinarian, but he had learned how to earn the trust of the folk. For the last few months he had done all sorts of handiwork for the town.
They believed him to be a traveling merchant who searched for a good place to settle down. He had all the necessary papers and Nummus to prove his identity. The way they had looked as he showed them the coins. In these regions, they would see a Nummus perhaps once in their life. Usually, no one allowed to have them would lose themselves in a town like this unless they wanted to build a house here, becoming king amongst beggars.
With that hanging over Feldsang, the relief of him being a decent man made him beloved immediately. Amor sighed. The act started to grow on him. He could see himself building a big house here. A dog. Children. Of course, it'd take him some convincing for the Urachs to let him do that. A man could dream.
In this dream, though, he didn't have to imagine the wife he would like to have.
A crowing sounded from above. Amor didn't hide his smile, continuing to knit. "Trisa, you know you don't have to sneak up on me."
The assassin emerged from the shadows behind the hut. An untrained eye wouldn't have noticed her, but Amor had his tricks.
Trisa glanced at the sky, walking up next to Amor. "You've gotten better."
Amor smiled at that, stopping to knit. What a beauty she was. Her long brown hair was messy, hanging all over her face. She only kept it open when not on a mission. Her baggy robes hide everything except her head. She preferred more practical clothes, something allowing her to move. But there was no need now, having chosen what she felt most comfortable in.
Her skin was even paler than most, as she hadn't seen much light when growing up. She squinted her eyes, the Silverlight blinding her. Trisa was a year older than Amor but appeared rather small next to him. Though her size made her more flexible, perfect for crawling into every crack she could find. Perfect for hiding.
"You look lovely today, Trisa," Amor said.
Trisa blushed, turning away. She hadn't gotten used to compliments yet. Amor would make sure she would. "I…" she said, awkwardly. Her voice was faint and unsure. It lacked any strength and confidence. As with compliments, she wasn't used to talking. "Thanks. We have orders."
"The Ravenspawn, I take it?"
Trisa nodded, her motions and voice becoming more sterile and mechanical. Like a machine fulfilling the duty it was designed for. "Yes. Based on what we could gather about him, his name is Liron Sturm. A boy of fourteen years old that worked in a forge. No greater combat experiences or…"
"Say, how did you handle the vision? Several people here in town have injured themselves. Nothing happened to you?"
Trisa frowned. "My condition is of no concern to our order."
"Well, it might not, but it is of concern to me," Amor said. Trisa stared at him, unsure what to say next. Amor rolled his eyes. "And it is of concern to our mission. Need to know if you are injured, don't I?"
"Oh, of course," Trisa said, looking away. "There is no need to worry. I am functional. A… and you?"
Amor gave her his biggest smile. "I'm also functional. Thank you for asking."
Trisa turned towards him. She appeared relieved despite her best efforts to hide it.
"Well, what else?" Amor asked. "The boy's on the run. Can't be alone, right? Wouldn't be a problem worth calling us."
Trisa shook herself, trying to regain her cold composure. "Yes, he is with the Alchemist Anginseran Antera Asseltoch."
"The Faeling?"
"You have heard of him?"
Amor shrugged. "Not much. But he's got an interesting story. Fae usually don't give back a child they have claimed. Let me guess, he's Resistance?"
"Correct. Based on the Resistance's movement and their coordinated actions against the Empire, it is to reason he contacted them for support."
"What do we have on them? Any idea where they could be now?"
"No. The Knight Dracon Lance Chevalier lost them in the forest surrounding the town Liron is from. His family and everybody who knew him will be questioned by the Inquisition, but otherwise we have no traces."
"Hah, they escaped the Promised Dawn? We've got quite the talent here, huh?"
"They are a threat that needs to be eliminated, correct."
Amor scratched his face. He needed to shave. He would have if he had known Trisa would visit him. "I guess you have a plan."
Trisa didn't reply immediately, standing still like a trained soldier saluting a statue of the Emperor. "I have ideas."
"Which are?"
"It is to reason that the Alchemist will take Liron to the Resistance in Sannara. For this, they will have to leave Nordland and enter Sinar. From there on, there are too many potential options they can choose. But for crossing the border, there are only a limited number of options."
"A bottleneck."
Trisa blinked at Amor. "A what?"
Amor formed one with his hands, looking through it at Trisa. "A bottleneck. Make something easier by forcing it through one single point. But I have another question. They didn't escape the Promised Dawn unharmed, right? I mean, come on. They have lost something."
"It was reported that Anginseran has lost his Vehiculum and most of his weaponry."
Amor studied his knit work, playing with his needles. "Well, that's what I wanted to hear. Alright, Trisa, listen up. Here's what we should do. You move to the border. Find out all the spots they could try to cross the border. I will move to an outpost of the Resistance."
Trisa's eyes widened. "You have the coordinates of a Resistance outpost?"
"I mean, I wouldn't call it that exactly. It's more like a stash filled with stuff. They have prepared them all throughout the Empire if one of their people ever needs them."
"Why haven't you informed the Inquisition? Amor, this needs to be reported. How did you even learn of this?"
"I caught a Resistance member a few months ago. Took some time, but I made him sing. I made his death look like an accident, so the Resistance wouldn't figure out what happened. Didn't know anything else. Resistance is smart enough to not share their important secrets with lackeys like him.
"For why I didn't tell 'em. For situations like this. Think about it, Trisa. They'll have to go there to restock. The Faeling won't expect anyone there."
"Then I should come with you," Trisa said, her voice firm.
"Your concern warms my heart, Trisa, but I doubt that would be wise. I think it's very likely, but they could also not end up going there. If they don't, and both of us wait there, we'll have wasted too much time, and we won't get them anymore. Should I be wrong, we still have you at the border to put them down."
Trisa opened her mouth to argue, but she failed to come up with something. She knew his plan made sense, but she didn't like it. "You will contact me every day. I want an exact report on what happened and what you have seen. And you should fail to respond then…"
"Then I'm dead."
"Then I will have to assume you died, yes," she whispered.
Amor looked at the town in front of him. He never liked his work. He'd seen many bastards who took great joy in killing and torturing. If it had to be done, then it had to be done. Just the world they lived in. But he started to dread it. He started to realize the risk of him not coming back.
Peter came into view, playing catch with his friends. Amor smiled. "It's a nice town."
Trisa watched the children, growing somber. From what Amor had heard, she was never allowed to have a childhood or a normal life. Amor reached out, touching her by the arm. "Trisa, are you…"
She twitched under the touch, pulling her arm away.
"Harras, Trisa, I'm sorry. I didn't…"
"No, I need to apologize," she said, her breathing hard. "I… it is…"
Amor held a hand up. "It's all good. You don't need to explain. I understand."
Trisa pulled the collar of her robes over her face. "Thank you," she whispered. "It… means a lot that you do."
Amor nodded. The two of them watched the children play a bit longer, knowing that their departure was upon them. "Trisa, after we killed the Ravenspawn, why don't you stay here in town for a bit? I might need help. I mean, we live in strange times, and you can't have enough agents, right?"
Trisa didn't reply at first. She thought it through, something vile coming up. Her features twisted, snarling. But before they won control, she pressed them down. "You know I can't. Mira won't allow it."
"Last time I checked, Mira wasn't the head of House Urach. Or even a member. If Rarn says you should stay here, which, like I said, isn't that unreasonable, she can go fuck herself."
"Amor," Trisa said, shocked.
"What? I barely curse. Only if it's appropriate. So, what do you say?"
Trisa tried her best not to smile, turning away from him. But he could see the corners of her mouth move upwards. "It does sound reasonable."
Amore leaned back. One day at a time. He would get her out of that winter witch's grasp. "That it does."
…
Gaius slammed the door behind him, collapsing on the box. He took in fresh air, his head dizzy. The busy sound of Casares paled in comparison to the chaos that raged inside the bureau. Usually, the Inquisition allowed all its workers several breaks, but thanks to the Ravenspawn, they worked them like plebs.
At least the back alley offered some peace. They said he had five minutes before he had to take his post again. Before the first minute was over, Philo hurried out of the bureau, greeting Gaius with a nod.
"How's the communication with Verlune going?" Philo asked.
Gaius buried his face in his hands. "Can we please not talk about this catastrophe here?"
Philo shrugged. "Fine. Just wanted to talk a bit. I thought you might be interested in whom they'll send after the Ravenspawn."
Gaius looked up. Philo was in the department responsible for overseeing the complex communication network of all agents and where they will be sent. Thanks to everything, the Grand Inquisitor hadn't decided yet, only promising an agent. Typically, he never makes decisions like this, preoccupied with gaining intel out of their most important prisoners. But the current situation forced him to act.
Philo grinned like the smug ass he was. "Interested, I guess?"
Gaius nodded, refusing to give Philo too much satisfaction.
Philo pulled out his pipe, lightening it. "Adenius is charged with hunting down the Ravenspawn."
"Adenius?!"
"Hade the same reaction."
"But why him?"
"He has yet to fail an assignment."
"Yes, but he has also filled entire graveyards. Last time was bad enough. We could barely keep it from the neighboring towns."
Philo grimaced. Gaius and the rest of his department had filled him in on the details. Agents of the Inquisition worked under Harras's blessings, allowing them complete freedom in their methods. Some of them, like Adenius, took this to the extreme, forcing Gaius and his colleagues to clean up after him.
"Don't ask me. You can go to Hyal if you want to question his decision."
"Fuck no!" Gaius said. He would rather clean after Adenius's next successful mission. "Must be bad if he sends him."
"It is. We need the Ravenspawn, and we need to drag his corpse through all major cities. No matter what state it is in."
"What will Adenius do? Does he have a plan already?"
"Yes. He wants to lure him out. He sets up something in Kupferrang. But no idea what exactly. He didn't want to share his plan with us."
Gaius grunted. Adenius loved to keep his plans hidden. Only because Grand Inquisitor Hyal saw so much potential in him did the Inquisition allow this.
"Only thing we know is that he has ordered the Ravenspawn's family to be transported to him in Kupferrang."
"Makes sense. Best way to get his attention."
Philo dragged at his pipe. "Guess so. But it'll be bloody. Poor bastards in Kupferrang. Wouldn't want to be them."
"Yes. He'll…"
The door ripped open, one of the overseers glaring at them. "Break's over. Get inside. Work doesn't wait."
Gaius and Philo sighed. Philo put out his pipe, and they dragged themselves back inside. The Empire didn't save itself, after all, and it required them to do their part in the big, beautiful machine.