When Holden, Sable, and Atticus arrived in Undercity, they immediately made their way to Ike’s Undercroft Pub. Holden hoped that someone there might have some information that would be helpful. Although he knew getting that information would require a favor.


    The moment the trio walked into the pub, the owner, Ike, turned his head to greet them. “Hello, welcome-.” He paused when he realized who it was. “Wait. You’re that PI and the cait-sith. And-.” He paused once more when he saw Atticus. “Who is this?”


    “A client,” Holden said. “Sorry, we’re not here to drink or eat.”


    “Information then. Why else would you be here?”


    Holden then looked around for either Scallia or Camille, but neither of them were here. Ike noticed Holden looking around, and informed him they were out. “But if you need information. I got an ear close to the ground here. Customers get pretty chatty when they’re drunk. Though it’ll cost you a bit of digmata.”


    Holden chuckled. “No favors? Scallia asked me to help find her bracelet last time.”


    “Yeah. She found it in the hands of another fence. Wasn’t too happy about that, but what can you do? I don’t need anything in particular. Aside from money.”


    “Hmm, alright. How much you get depends on what you give. I won’t pay upfront.”


    Ike crossed his arms and grumbled. “Alright. Ask your question and we’ll see if it’s even something I can answer.”


    Holden then took a seat and began explaining. “We’re investigating some people who came into the sewers last night. They had a large cage with a dragon in it. At least-.” He paused and looked at Atticus. “Well, that’s what the client said anyway.”


    Ike looked over Atticus and could tell right away he was a homeless wanderer. “Are you sure this guy wasn’t dusted or something?”


    Atticus pounded the counter with his fist. “I don’t use drugs. And I wasn’t seeing things. There was a dragon there. I saw the green scales on its tail hanging out of the cage.”


    Ike raised an eyebrow at his statement. “Oh. Green tail, huh? So, it’s a marsh dragon then. With poison breath and everything. I guess someone could sneak something that size into the sewers.”


    “Really?” Holden asked in surprise. “I’m not familiar with marsh dragons. Most dragons I’ve seen couldn’t fit through the sewers. Maybe an adolescent dragon. I figured if anything it was one of those.”


    “Marsh dragons are maybe twice as tall as a horse at most. A majority are actually a bit smaller than that. They also breathe poison gas instead of fire. Not sure why anyone would want to capture one alive, though.”


    “It was alive,” Atticus insisted. “I saw its tail twitch. And there was gas pouring out of its cage.”


    Holden shook his head at Atticus’s story. He obviously should’ve asked for more details when Atticus first made his request. Holden had been taking the man seriously. However, he started to believe Atticus really did see a dragon. “I guess it really is possible there was a dragon. But I can’t imagine why they’d keep such a thing alive. Dragons are either captured to be tamed, or killed for their bones and scales. Even their blood is an alchemical ingredient.”


    Sable had been going to the Grand Library lately to study magic. The cait-sith knew there were other uses of parts from dragons in alchemy. “Maybe they’re keeping it alive to replenish their sources of materials. Dragons do shred molt their scales. Also, if they took a little blood at a time they could get more in the long run.”


    Ike scratched his chin, thinking of Sable’s theory. “That has some merit. But dragons are ravenous creatures. The cost of feeding it would be expensive. You’d make more money by just killing it and selling the carcass.”


    “We won’t know until we find this thing,” Holden pointed out. “Speculation gets us nowhere. Ike, do you know anything helpful?”


    “Nope,” Ike said, shrugging his shoulders. “Haven’t heard any gossip about people bringing in anything like that. Unless you got something else to go on, I can’t help you. Sorry.”


    “How about drug runners working for the Leudox?”


    Ike’s jaw dropped when he heard that name. “Leudox? Did you really just say Leudox? Why would you be messing with them?”


    “I have a witness saying he saw people carrying backpacks through the sewers to Caster Street. The only types who would travel there through the sewers are thieves, drug runners, and other unsavory sorts. My guess is they were taking some product to the Middows.”


    Ike was about to speak up when Scalia and Camille suddenly came bursting through the door in a panic.


    “Ike,” Camille yelped, rushing to the counter without even noticing everyone else present. “We got trouble. Sorten is on his way.”


    Ike gnashed his teeth, and reached for something below the counter. He pulled out a pair of leather fingerless gloves. After putting them on, Ike started cracking his knuckles.


    At that point Camille and Scalia noticed Holden, Sable, and Atticus’s presence.


    “Holden,” Camille said, not paying much attention to the other two. “What brings you here?”


    “An investigation,” Holden replied. “But looks like there’s an emergency. Why would Sorten the Sabre be after you?”


    Camille avoided eye contact with Holden. “It’s kind of a long story.”


    “Fine,” Holden sighed, deciding not to pry. “Hey, Ike. If I help you with this Sorten guy, can you give me some information?”


    “Yeah,” Ike said, cracking his neck. “I might as well since one of Leudox’s enforcers has found us.”


    “Good. We have a deal.” Holden then pulled a wand out of his coat. Unlike the one inscribed with the cleansing spell, this wand was inscribed with a cantrip called fire shot. Just like it sounded, the spell flings a small flame at a designated target. Its range was up to 30 feet.


    The wand could cast this spell 30 times before needing to be recharged with magic.


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    Holden held out the wand toward Sable. “Take this. You’re going to help us.”


    Sable looked at the wand, then glared up at Holden. “You’re stupid. I don’t have hands. How am I supposed to use that?”


    “Just hold it in your mouth.”


    “Hold it in my-.” Sable paused and scowled. “You expect me to just carry it around in my mouth like a dog with a stick? And how am I supposed to say the trigger word?”


    “Just mumble it. That wand will work so long as the one holding it uses the trigger word, which is fire by the way.”


    “Oh. How original,” Sable jeered. “Did you choose that yourself? Or is this a second-hand wand?”


    “Shut up, Cat,” Holden grumbled. “Will you do it? Or not?”


    “Fine,” Sable groaned. “All this for some stupid pocket watch. Stupid human. Chopped Liver indeed.” Sable picked up the wand with his mouth, then followed Holden, Atticus, and Ike outside. Atticus offered to help as well. Even though he didn’t have any weapons, Atticus could use a couple of magic spells.


    Scalia and Camille poked their heads out the door, waiting patiently for the one known as Sorten to arrive.


    Sorten the Sabre was a well-known criminal wanted in multiple cities through the Western Confederacy. He was a hitman for Leudox, and muscle for hire for any number of unsavory criminal organizations. The criminal was also a beastfolk with tiger-like features. Specifically, Sorten looked like a tiger walking on two feet.


    Holden and the others waited a few minutes outside with bated breaths before Sorten finally arrived. The tiger beastfolk wore leather armor, and carried a large saber. He was also escorted by three other male beastfolk armed with clubs and swords. Sorten sneered while looking upon his soon-to-be opponents. “What is this? Looks like a pretty motley crew here. Send out the elf woman before a beat you all to a pulp.”


    Holden clicked his tongue. “Hey, Sable, look. One of your relatives is here to visit. He seems kind of ill-mannered. Would you reprimand him for me?”


    Sable tried talking with the wand in his mouth, but it just came out as incomprehensible mumbled. The cait-sith placed the wand on the ground, then repeated what he had been trying to say. “Stupid human. Do you think all of us felines are related? If that were the case, then all humans are related to butt scratching, poo flicking monkeys.”


    Rahhh! Sorten roared in anger. “Are you two just trying to annoy me? Or are you just underestimating me? I’m Sorten the-.”


    “Aww,” Holden said mockingly. “Sable, I think this kitty’s purr is even cuter than yours.”


    Sorten gnashed his teeth, charging toward Holden with a saber in hand.


    Holden smirked at the success of his taunts. There was no doubt in his mind that their group was at a severe disadvantage against a brute like Sorten. Angering the man so he would lash out without thinking was the first step in Holden’s plan. The second step involved Sable and the wand.


    “Sable, Atticus, fire,” Holden shouted, while throwing a knife at Sorten’s feet to slow him down.


    Atticus cast a basic fire shot spell. The flame hit Sorten in the chest, knocking the wind out of him for a brief moment.


    Sable picked up the wand in his mouth, turned his head to point it at Sorten, then mumbled the trigger word.


    A fire shot discharged from the wand with such force that it knocked Sable back into the air. The fire shot hit Sorten directly in the chest, stunning the beastfolk for a moment. Holden then hurled another throwing knife at Sorten’s thigh, preventing the beastfolk from proceeding forward.


    Crack! Ike then rushed in, dislocating Sorten’s jaw. The other thugs Sorten brought with him just stood there with jaws agape as they saw one of the most wanted men in the entire Western Confederacy get pummeled until he passed out from the shock of Ike’s blows.


    With Sorten down for the count, the other three thugs fled. Holden kneeled down to pet Sable’s head.


    “Good job, Cat. You were a big help.”


    Sable just dropped the wand in Holden’s hand, then teleported onto his shoulders. “I am one of the extraordinary cait-sith. Handling magic, even the rudimentary wands you humans crafted, is only natural.”


    Holden chuckled at the bashful expression on Sable’s face. “Someone’s embarrassed. Is a certain cat happy for being praised?”


    Sable stuck his chin in the air with his eyes closed. “Nonsense.”


    Ike picked up Sorten’s unconscious body, then brought him inside. He then brought out rope, and tied up Sorten to prevent him from escaping once he regained consciousness.


    “What are we going to do with him?” Holden asked, taking a seat at the counter.


    “Turn him in for the bounty,” Ike replied. “Though it’ll piss off Leudox, I don’t really care at the moment. They went after us. I won’t let that slide.”


    “Can you guys really stand against them?”


    Ike sighed while scratching his head. “Not really.” He then glanced at Atticus. “Hey, vagrant. You want a job? I can tell from your demeanor you’re a military man. Probably do a lot better with a sword than with magic.”


    “A job,” Atticus muttered. “A job defending this place?” He then grinned. “Okay. But I want to finish with the dragon first.”


    Holden gave Ike a sideways glance. “Are you sure you want the crazy guy working for you?”


    Ike shrugged his shoulders. “Need help standing against the Leudox. Scalia and Camille aren’t fighters.”


    “Yeah. About that. Just what is your guys’ story anyway?” Why would Camille over there be caught up with the Leudox?”


    “That none of your-.” Ike was suddenly cut off by Camille.


    “Wait. Ike. He helped us, so we should be honest with him. After all, we could use all the allies we can get against the Leudox.”


    Ike crossed his arms, not wanting to explain everything. However, he knew Camille was right. Holden and Sable deserved to know the truth. “Camille here is one of the desert elves. They’re elves who’ve adapted to living in desert environments, rather than the usual forests that most elves are accustomed to.”


    Holden raised an eyebrow and looked over Camille. The woman had caramel skin which contrasted the usually fair-skinned elves. He had initially though that she was a mix of regular elf and dark elf. Apparently, he couldn’t be more wrong. “How does an elf from the desert end up here in Chrimoria?”


    Trafficking,” Ike said grimly. “Camille used to entertain men for-.”


    Camille clicked her tongue, interrupting Ike’s explanation. “Don’t short sell it. I was a prostitute, forced to sell my body to men who treated me like an object. One of the underbosses took a liking to me, and decided to purchase me for himself. I ended up getting my hands on a shiv, stabbed him through the throat, then escaped. They want me dead now.”


    Ike continued where Camille left off. “Scalia found Camille wandering the streets of Chrimoria and brought her here. Camille works as a server in exchange for shelter. Though she isn’t much of a fighter.”


    “I’m a dancer,” Camille said. “I’ll sometimes entertain guests. Most say I’m the only reason worth coming to this pub.”


    Ike grumbled, making Camille laugh. “Anyway, Ike and Scalia both have their own issues with the Leudox. The three of us have worked together to keep each other safe. So, if your case has you going up against them, we’re willing to help.”


    Ike grumbled again. Camille glowered at him. “We are willing to help them. Right, Ike!?”


    Ike scratched his head while sighing in defeat. “Yeah. I did agree to give them information in exchange for dealing with Sorten.”


    Camille shook her head at Ike’s stubbornness. “You’ll have to forgive him. Ike is always wary of strangers. He’s been watching his back for guys like Sorten for years now.”


    “Can’t blame him,” Holden said. “I’ve been in the same situation. One wrong move can cost you your life.”


    “I won’t pry into why,” Ike said. “So, let’s get down to business. You were looking for a green dragon in a cage that made its way through the sewers. And drug runners. That definitely smells like something’s going on in the Middows. Maybe someone’s finally learned how to make drugs using dragon blood. Or the marsh dragon’s gas.”


    “I thought you said dragons couldn’t be used in drugs.”


    “Not necessarily. They could be. But no one has discovered how to mix them in a way that gets people dusted. Dragon’s blood is mostly used in restorative potions.”


    Holden nodded along with Ike. He knew of most applications of dragon''s blood. The poisons a lot of creatures produce could also be used in medicine. Though Holden didn’t know of any medicine that used the poison from dragons. That being said, his knowledge of medicine was limited.


    “So, what I’m hearing is I’m going to need to sneak into the Middows if I want to learn anything.”


    Ike nodded. “Yeah. I know a bunch of places where the Leudox could be making drugs. Unfortunately, there’s too many down her in Undercity. You’d have better luck searching the Middows for evidence. Maybe eavesdrop on a few conversations.”


    “Between that or infiltrating every drug lab in Undercity, I’ll take my chances with the Middows.” Holden then glanced at Sable. “Besides, I already have an idea for sneaking around the place.”