ã€ŠHolden &amp; Sable Mysteriesã€‹


 The Case with the Innocent Minotaur Part 1

    In a world of fantasy known as Thanador, there existed an alliance of city states known as the Western Confederacy on one of the southern continents. One of these city-states was called Chrimoria, also known as the city of merchants. It was strategically located on the eastern border of the Western Confederacy, which bordered several nations, making it the largest trading hub among all of the city-states.

    The city of Chrimoria housed millions of people from multiple races, including humans, elves, dwarfs, beast folk, and many more.

    Within the back alleys of the bustling city there was a small office. Above the office door facing the street was a shabby wooden sign that said, ¡°Holden Detective Agency¡±.

    A human man dressed in casual attire with a brown long coat had his feet up on the table. He was dozing off, when there was a sudden knock at the door, followed by a deep yet feminine voice.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Holden, are you there? Mr. Holden.¡±

    The knocking continued. The man rolled his eyes, got up, and opened the door, only to find a minotaur woman standing outside. The man remained unfazed by her large and bulky stature, and deep voice. Chrimoria was a city that attracted races aside from the three predominant races, which were humans, elves, and dwarves. A minotaur, although rare, wasn¡¯t unheard of in the city.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± The man grumbled.

    ¡°Are you Mr. Holden? The private investigator who runs this business?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what the sign says, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    The minotaur woman nodded.

    ¡°Alright. Then that¡¯s me. Now what do you want?¡± His tone might have seemed rather rude to most. However, minotaurs were an aggressive, war-like race. They tended to always speak in a hostile fashion with strangers, since minotaur society was tribal. Oftentimes the minotaur tribes find themselves in conflict with the other minotaur tribes around them. Because of this, it was common for minotaurs to treat strangers not part of the tribe as potential enemies until they proved themselves otherwise.

    This was why the minotaur woman wasn¡¯t the least bit offended by Holden¡¯s attitude. ¡°Hello, Mr. Holden, I¡¯m here to ask a favor of you.¡±

    Holden grumbled, gestured for her to come inside, then sat behind his desk with his feet up. ¡°So, what is it you want?¡±

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    The minotaur woman was too large for the chair on the other side of Holden¡¯s desk, so she remained standing. ¡°I want to hire you to prove my husband¡¯s innocence.¡±

    Holden raised an eyebrow. ¡°Straight to the point then. I always liked that about you Minotaurs.¡± He had been asked to prove someone¡¯s innocence before, but most races would hem and haw before they finally got to the point as if they were embarrassed to reveal that someone they loved was convicted of a crime. Minotaurs weren¡¯t exactly proud to be troublemakers, but they weren¡¯t ashamed if they were labeled as warmongers or monsters. If anything, it was a compliment in their culture.

    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean the woman¡¯s request didn¡¯t pique his interest. ¡°So, what exactly was your husband accused of?¡±

    ¡°Murdering a tavern owner, sir. It actually happened earlier this morning.¡±

    ¡°Earlier this morning? And Lady Law has already found him guilty? That¡¯s rather fast.¡±

    Lady Law wasn¡¯t just some saying people used to describe the justice system, it was also the name of a Sage from the world¡¯s history. The title of Sage was used to describe figures of significance throughout history who performed great deeds, and those who invented revolutionary technology or ideas. Lady Law was the nickname given to the woman who first started using magic to solve crimes, and who devised the current judicial system that many nations had adopted. Everything from how to gather evidence at the scene of the crime, interrogation methods, chain of custody, and everything else related to solving crimes and prosecuting offenders was developed by the woman known as Lady Law. Hence why the judicial system was often referred to as such.

    The woman scowled. ¡°My husband would¡¯ve gladly confessed to the crime, if he had committed it. But he didn¡¯t. The tavern owner who died was his employer. As I¡¯m sure you know, we minotaurs are a proud people. We have honor.¡± The woman clenched her fists. ¡°Everyone in this city just sees us as barbarians.¡±

    ¡°Well, miss-.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Cadelina. And my husband¡¯s name is Durik.¡±

    Minotaurs didn¡¯t have family names. They would use the name of their tribe in place of one, but since Cadelina and her husband, Durik, lived in the city, they weren¡¯t part of any minotaur tribe.

    Holden nodded his head and assured Cadelina he would do his best to prove her husband¡¯s innocence. He stopped himself from saying ¡®if he was innocent¡¯ since it would¡¯ve been insulting, especially for minotaur who highly value honesty in these types of situations.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll be in touch when I¡¯ve found a solid lead,¡± Holden said. ¡°Where can I find you?¡±

    ¡°We live near the tavern. Durik is a mercenary who was actually hired to serve as a guard. Dealing with rowdy customers, and protecting the place from thieves and ruffians were all part of his job. Killing the owner doesn¡¯t make any sense. Durik worked for them. It was the only way he could make a living.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± Holden shook her hand before Cadelina left. He then sighed and stared at the ceiling for a brief moment. ¡°I guess I should go to the scene of the crime.¡±

    Holden grabbed his bag full of tools of the trade. These tools included a magnifying glass, protractor, ruler, and several other items and substances that could assist him in his investigation. Lastly, he put a belt around his waist with a dagger hanging on each hip before he left for the crime scene.

 The Case with the Innocent Minotaur Part 2

    Holden arrived at the crime scene a few minutes later. Even though it was the middle of the day, the whole place was completely empty, aside from an inspector from the Chrimoria police department. Holden was familiar with this inspector. He was an elf named Alwin, who was on relatively good terms with Holden.

    The moment Holden stepped foot inside, Alwin turned around to look at him. Alwin looked young. If he were human, people would¡¯ve suspected he was in his mid-twenties. In actuality, he was over 210 years old, making him a young adult by elven standards.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Holden?¡± Alwin said in a mildly irritated tone of voice. ¡°This case is closed and shut. We don¡¯t need any outside help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to help, Alwin,¡± Holden said, leaning against the doorway. ¡°I¡¯m here to make you and the rest of your department look like fools.¡±

    Alwin clicked his tongue. ¡°So, you¡¯re here about the minotaur. Did his missus hire you to prove him innocent?¡±

    ¡°Right on the mark. Durik¡¯s supposedly innocent, and I¡¯m the lucky one hired to show you all how to do actual detective work.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s funny coming from a washed-up master thief.¡±

    Holden¡¯s eye twitched in irritation. ¡°I wasn¡¯t a thief. I was a spy.¡±

    ¡°Right. So, what favor are you going to ask me for this time? You know I can''t give you access to any of the evidence, or share any confidential information.¡±

    ¡°I know. But like you said, I¡¯m a ¡®master thief¡®. If I want to see the evidence, I¡¯d just steal it from right underneath your noses.¡± Holden then started walking around the tavern. He made his way behind the counter where he noticed blood splatter on the wall. ¡°What can you tell me?¡± While listening to Alwin¡¯s explanation, Holden pulled out a handheld camera. The camera looked like an old 1950¡¯s handheld camera with a silver dish for the flash. It was considered advanced technology for this world, but not unheard of. In fact, the technology in this world was a hodgepodge. In terms of technological advancement, most of this world resembled Earth in the year 1907 with some exceptions. Firearms were rare, trains, cars, and several other things hadn¡¯t been developed yet. There were other inventions, like cameras, which were a bit more advanced.

    The advancements in photography made keeping records of crime scenes much easier for detectives, and Holden took full advantage of it. Holden took pictures of the blood splatter from different angles, while listening to Alwin speak.

    ¡°Not much to say,¡± Alwin said. ¡°The culprit smashed the victim¡¯s head with a warhammer, then claims he doesn¡¯t remember it happening. Swears he¡¯s innocent. You know how these people are when they get caught.¡±

    Holden nodded his head in agreement. It was common for perpetrators to claim their innocence whenever they were caught for a crime, but not the minotaurs. People saw them as barbaric and bloodthirsty, but they were also honest, even the criminals wouldn¡¯t lie. That didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t, but Holden wasn¡¯t convinced that Durik was a liar.

    After examining the blood splatter for some time, Holden noticed something. To confirm his suspicions, Holden took a protractor out of his bag and began measuring the angles of the blood splatter. What he was doing wasn¡¯t an exact science, but judging from the angle of the blood spatter, the hammer hit the victim straight down, right at what Holden assumed would be the victim''s head level.

    ¡°What can you tell me about the victim?¡± Holden asked, hoping Alwin could supply him with some information to support his theory.

    ¡°Human. Male. I think he was in his forties,¡± Alwin replied, scratching his head, trying to remember everything he could about the victim. ¡°The poor guy was standing behind the counter. Probably wiping it down, given he had a wet hand towel in his hand when we found him.¡±

    ¡°How tall was he?¡±

    ¡°Just under six feet, I think.¡±

    ¡°And how tall was the perp?¡±

    ¡°Just around eight feet. His horns add another foot or two.¡±

    Holden then looked up. ¡°And this ceiling is about ten, maybe eleven feet tall. How big was the hammer?¡±

    Alwin shrugged his shoulders and gave him a rough estimate with his hand up above his head.

    Holden looked at Alwin and nodded. ¡°So, about six feet. Pretty standard for a minotaur of his size.¡± Holden looked Alwin directly in the eyes. ¡°Who reported the crime?¡±

    ¡°The perp did. But we both know that¡¯s a common tactic to attempt to elude suspicion.¡±

    Holden nodded his head before asking Alwin one last question. ¡°Are you the inspector assigned to this case?¡±

    Alwin shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you doing here, Alwin?¡±

    Alwin smiled, He then turned around to walk out the door before saying, ¡°It¡¯s best we both forget we saw each other here. In exchange for your silence, I¡¯ll let you pop in and out of here. Just make sure none of the other officers see you. Also, you might want to leave soon. The body is already in the morgue, but the cleanup crew will be coming in to wipe down the crime scene.¡±

    Alwin shut the door behind himself after he left, leaving Holden alone in the tavern.

    Now that Holden was by himself, he started working in earnest. Holden walked to the front of the counter, then pretending to strike at a man who was about six feet. He swung his arms from above, from the left, then from the right. Doing this made him wonder aloud, ¡°Why would the perp swing downward? Minotaur¡¯s are tall, but they¡¯re also warriors. Swinging down against a standing enemy makes the attack easier to dodge. Plus, the ceiling isn¡¯t very high. The perp would¡¯ve been trained to swing from the side, not down.¡±

    Holden slapped his hands on the counter and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to talk to the perp.¡±

    Meow! The cry of a cat, which seemed to suddenly appear out of nowhere on the countertop beside Holden, causing him to jump and almost stumble.

    ¡°You scared me,¡± Holden said.

    The cat had black fur and beautiful blue eyes. It pawed at Holden and continued meowing at him.

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    Holden shooed it away. ¡°Sorry, kitty. I can¡¯t play. Maybe there are some rats you can eat in the basement.¡±

    The cat continued meowing. Holden went in to try scratching its chin to see if that would quiet it down, but the cat scratched him, then hissed before running away.

    Holden grumbled. ¡°Agh, it¡¯s just a stupid cat anyway.¡± He then left the tavern and headed toward the nearest police station where he suspected the perp, Durik, would still be waiting in lockup.

    Holden walked through the city streets of Chrimoria. Horse drawn carriages, carts, and pedestrians were going in both directions without any regard for the people around them. Holden shoved his way through the crowds, only to accidentally bump into someone who fell face-first on the ground.

    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Holden said, holding his hand out to help the person up.

    The person he had bumped into turned out to be one of the beastfolk, which meant she resembled a human in most aspects. What made beastfolk different were the animal features mixed in. Beastfolk could look like a human with bird wings, or a human with a lizard tail and scales. They would only have the features of one animal, never more. This particular beastfolk that Holden had run into was a young girl who had the ears and tail of a fox.

    The fox girl looked like she was around ten years old. She got up on her own, put up the hood of her coat to cover her head, and glared at Holden before running off.

    Holden decided to ignore the situation and carried on toward the police station. Once he arrived, he went up to the officer at the front desk.

    The officer was in the middle of writing something down when Holden approached him. The officer was a dwarf. He had the usual stocky stature of the dwarves, but was tall for his race, being just under five feet tall.

    The dwarven officer recognized Holden and groaned. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Holden stood up straight and puffed out his chest. ¡°I want to talk to Durik.¡±

    ¡°To Durik? You mean the minotaur who murdered the tavern owner? That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± The officer then returned to writing.

    Holden wouldn¡¯t give up so easily. ¡°What¡¯ll it take?

    ¡°Are you trying to bribe an officer? Get out of here before I bring you in for obstruction.¡±

    ¡°Fine then.¡± Holden walked out of the station and into an alley to get out of sight. He would¡¯ve preferred not to have to rely on his old spying skills to get the information he needed, but Holden didn¡¯t have any other options. If the justice system wasn¡¯t willing to work with him, then he¡¯d just have to become someone the justice system was already working with.

    Holden looked around to confirm no one was watching. He then dug through his bag and pulled out a plain white mask. This mask was a magic item that allowed the wearer to take on a different appearance.

    Holden closed his eyes as he put the mask on while visualizing the face he wanted to use. The visualizing had to be very specific. Otherwise, he might accidentally create a face that drew too much attention. As a spy, Holden had learned to choose his appearance carefully, based on his goals. His current goal was to sneak into the police station so he could speak to Durik, which would require him to go unnoticed.

    Holden thought of the most inconspicuous face he could think of. Elves were the most common residents in this part of the city, so Holden took on the face of a plain-looking elf with blond hair and blue eyes.

    The coat Holden wore was a magic item that could change its appearance. All he needed to do was visualize what he wanted the coat to look like for it to change. The coat changed from its long, brown appearance to the uniform of the inspectors of the Chrimoria Police Department.

    Holden then worked on changing his posture. He was typically a very confident man, but slouched and walked with a rather careless demeanor. Holden stood up straight, stuck his chin up like he was looking down at the world around him, and adopted a smug expression.

    The elven race typically had a condescending attitude due to having superior intelligence, magic, and longevity. They weren¡¯t shy about it either. The elves who had to live among the other races weren¡¯t as stuck up, but they were still a little pompous.

    The final part was to change his voice in case he had to speak. Holden settled for only increasing the pitch of his voice.

    Holden returned to the police station after finishing his disguise. He walked in with his head held high right past the officer at the front desk. After passing through the front, he found his way to the jail cells where prisoners were temporarily kept until they could be transferred to an actual prison.

    There was only one minotaur in the entire place, making it easy to figure out which prisoner was Durik. The only issue was that an officer was present in the room, likely to keep watch over the prisoners. The officer was a human, so Holden knew exactly how to deal with him using his elven disguise.

    ¡°Hey, officer,¡± Holden said in a high-pitched yet authoritative voice. ¡°I need to talk to the Minotaur. Give us some privacy.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sir,¡± the officer replied. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to-.¡±

    Holden turned to the human with a condescending glare. ¡°Are you denying the order of your superior? Leave us.¡±

    The officer grit his teeth in frustration, but stood out in the hallway just outside of the room.

    Now that the officer was gone, Holden approached Durik¡¯s cell. ¡°Are you Durik? Husband of Cadelina, and the former guard of the-.¡±

    ¡°What do you want now?¡± Durik roared, brimming with anger. ¡°Are you here to mock me, too? Stuck up elves. You¡¯re the third inspector to come in here asking questions. What do you people want from me? A confession? I won¡¯t confess to a crime I didn¡¯t commit.¡±

    Holden looked into the minotaur¡¯s eyes. The experience he had gained as a spy made Holden both an excellent liar, and a good detector of lies as well. He could tell Durik was speaking the truth. There was a look of righteous indignation within Durik¡¯s eyes that couldn¡¯t be easily faked, especially by the straight-forward minotaur race.

    Holden chuckled. ¡°I guess my hunch was right. You really are innocent.¡±

    Taken aback by Holden¡¯s words, Durik¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wha- You believe me.¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. I know you minotaurs aren¡¯t as barbaric as people say. You all might be war-like, but you¡¯re also honorable and honest to a fault. I give you my word, I will prove your innocence. I just need to hear your side of the story.¡±

    Durik collected his thoughts, took a deep breath, and exhaled. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll choose to believe you, for now.¡±

    Durik explained everything that happened. ¡°I arrived at the tavern early in the morning like usual. The owner was scrubbing down the counter like he always did, and asked me to go into the cellar to grab a few ingredients. I agreed, then leaned my warhammer against the wall by the cellar door before going downstairs. The only thing I remember after that was waking up on the cellar floor.¡±

    ¡°So, you passed out? Did someone hit you over the head?¡±

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t recall anything like that. My head felt fine, too. A hit hard enough to knock out a minotaur would¡¯ve left a mark. But there¡¯s nothing like that on my head. See for yourself.¡± Durik showed Holden the top of his head.

    Holden scratched his head in bewilderment. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t a blow to the head that knocked you out, then it must¡¯ve been magic.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s what I thought too. I went upstairs after that, and that¡¯s where I found my boss dead with my hammer right on top of his head. I rushed off to the nearest police officer after that. Next thing I know, Inspector Valrin is putting me in shackles, and accusing me of murdering my boss.¡± Durik then gnashed his teeth and growled. ¡°I swear, I¡¯d like to strangle that pompous elf¡¯s neck. No offense there, friend.¡±

    Holden chuckled and brushed off the comment. ¡°None taken. We elves certainly are a little uptight and condescending. Your information is helpful.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think you can prove my innocence?¡± Durik asked.

    Holden saw the minotaur¡¯s eyes. They were full of hope and trust. The worst part of the job was letting down a client¡¯s hope, especially when the client was the wife of a man who had been wrongfully accused of a crime he didn¡¯t commit. Holden wanted Durik to keep his hopes up, but not to have unrealistic expectations.

    ¡°I''ll do my best,¡± Holden assured the Minotaur. ¡°I can¡¯t promise you that I¡¯ll prove your innocence. But I¡¯ll do everything I can to clear your name.¡±

    Durik¡¯s ears drooped. ¡°I guess that¡¯s the best I can hope for at this point. Do me a favor, though. If I don¡¯t make it out of here, just let my wife know that I love her. And tell her that I think she¡¯ll be a wonderful mother, even if I¡¯m not there to support her.¡±

    Holden felt a lump in his throat. ¡°You two have children?¡±

    ¡°No. None yet. But we have a little one on the way. She¡¯s three months pregnant now. I was so looking forward to our first child.¡±

    Holden couldn¡¯t tell because Durik wasn¡¯t looking right at him, but he could swear he saw a tear in the minotaur¡¯s eyes. Minotaur men were usually very tough and masculine. However, Holden couldn¡¯t blame the man for shedding a tear given his circumstances.

    Holden clenched his fists in anger. He didn¡¯t say it out loud, but he swore to himself that he would prove this man innocent, for the sake of the unborn child.

 The Case with the Innocent Minotaur Part 3

    Holden slipped out of the police station without drawing any attention to himself. He decided to keep up the disguise while he returned to the tavern so anyone who witnessed him going inside wouldn¡¯t be suspicious.

    Holden went straight toward the tavern cellar and searched the place from top to bottom. What he was looking for were signs of another person being in here before Durik walked in, or signs of a secret passageway that would allow someone to sneak in unnoticed.

    Seeing as there were no obvious signs, Holden reluctantly resorted to using another method to identify potential secret passages. He took an eye dropper out of his bag. These were a special type of eye drops which used fairy dust, along with other ingredients, to allow the user to see hidden passages. They were expensive, so Holden had to use them sparingly.

    ¡°I hate having to resort to magic,¡± Holden said. He put the drops into his eyes, quickly shut his eyelids, and counted to ten while he patiently waited for them to take effect. When he opened his eyes, the world started to look a little hazy. However, he could see the magic permeating throughout the air. It looked like light-blue gas which swirled around the room. Additionally, some of the magic was flowing toward the back of the cellar where it condensed in the shape of a doorway.

    Holden put his hands on the wall where the magic was gathering. It felt like an ordinary wall, leading Holden to conclude that there was some kind of barrier meant to keep people out. Most likely, it was a barrier that would both keep the passage hidden and prevent anyone but the spellcaster from passing through.

    Holden pulled a stone out of his bag and tossed it at the barrier. The stone he tossed was called a dispel stone, which was a simple stone that was enchanted with a spell that could dispel other spells. Unfortunately, the dispel stone he had wasn¡¯t strong enough for this barrier.

    Holden gnashed his teeth in frustration. This meant he would have to hire someone to dispel this barrier for him, and there was only one mage in the city that would be willing to work with him. Just the thought of having to ask that mage for their help irritated him, though.

    Meow! Right in the middle of Holden¡¯s contemplation, a black cat appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Holden jumped and glared at the cat. ¡°Geez, cat. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?¡± Holden looked into the cat¡¯s eyes and then realized something. ¡°You can pop out of nowhere without even someone as aware of their surroundings as me noticing you. I was a spy after all. Are you some kind of magical creature? Maybe you¡¯re the one who knocked out the minotaur and killed the tavern owner.¡±

    The cat started rubbing Holden¡¯s leg and purring, causing Holden to feel like an idiot. ¡°Maybe all my time as a spy is making me paranoid. A cat that can knock out a minotaur and lift a giant warhammer is preposterous.¡±

    Meow! The cat cried out once again. This time, Holden picked it up and took it with him upstairs. He found a carton of milk and poured it into a wooden bowl that he left on the counter for the cat before leaving to go find the mage he had been thinking about.

    This mage always hung out in a tavern on the other side of the city. The neighborhood where Holden¡¯s office was and the tavern where Durik worked was on the west side of town. The neighborhoods on the west side were decent, but they weren¡¯t particularly lavish. The east side of town was a different story.

    The eastern neighborhoods of Chrimoria housed some of the wealthiest residents in the city. It was also full of high-class restaurants, hotels, casinos, and other businesses. Among all the glamor was a single tavern located in the basement of a municipality building. This tavern catered to people with great influence. It didn¡¯t look all that impressive, but the food was good, and the drinks were to die for.

    The building above it was a twelve story office that housed the Mages Union, which was a governing body within Chrimoria that regulated the use of magic within the city. This included what spells could be used in the city, under what circumstances they could be used, what magic items could be created and sold, and what types of services mages could provide using their magic. The elf Holden was looking for was a member of the Mages Union, hence why he had to go all the way to the other side of the city to find them at this time of day.

    Holden took a carriage from the west side to the east side and arrived at his destination around noon. He had been here several times before, and knew the elf he was looking for would be in the tavern beneath the Mages Union building at this time of day.

    The stairs were located behind the building, which was perfect for Holden because he wanted to drop his disguise where no one would be able to see him. After removing the mask and changing his coat back to its usual brown color, Holden made his way down to the tavern and was let in. Usually, the bouncer at the door would be more selective about the clientele, but he was familiar with Holden, who had been here many times before to meet with his elven contact.

    Holden went inside and looked behind the counter. There was a large, muscular dark elf standing behind it, mixing drinks for a couple of young human women dressed in mage robes.

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    The man turned to Holden and said, ¡°Welcome to Jarl¡¯s Brews and Elixirs. What can I- Oh. It¡¯s you.¡± The dark elf frowned and returned to mixing drinks.

    ¡°As friendly as ever, Jarl,¡± Holden quipped. ¡°Where¡¯s Elliandra?¡±

    Jarl, who was the owner of this tavern, pointed at a table in the far corner, then started chatting with the beautiful women once again.

    Holden shuffled over to the table Jarl had pointed out to him, and sat across from a beautiful, tall elven woman with crimson hair tied up in a bun, fair skin, and red eyes. Red eyes were a rare trait among the elves, making her even more alluring to her own kind, which valued bloodlines and purity. Even the black trousers and button up shirt she wore showed off her figure well, catching the eye of every man in the room.

    The woman was in deep thought while sipping away at a mixed drink Jarl had prepared for her. Her beauty was ethereal, but Holden hardly noticed it anymore.

    ¡°Elliandra, I need your help,¡± Holden said curtly. ¡°I need a barrier removed. One stronger than what a simple dispel stone can take care of.¡±

    Elliandra didn¡¯t respond. It wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t hear Holden, or because she was ignoring him. It was simply because she wanted to finish her current train of thought. After sitting in silence for a few moments, Elliandra finally responded to Holden¡¯s request. ¡°That¡¯s such a cold way to greet an old friend.¡± Her eyes then wandered over to a group of human men who had been staring at her from the table next to her. ¡°Especially a beauty like me. You could at least use a little class.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Hi Elliandra. How are you? You look ravishing today. Can you help me with a barrier that¡¯s preventing me from helping an innocent man escape an unjust fate?¡±

    Elliandra sneered at Holden¡¯s uncouth attitude. ¡°You¡¯re always like this. So rude. Not the best way to ask a woman for a favor.¡±

    Holden rolled his eyes. ¡°Would you stop acting like you''re some seductive enchantress or something? I know it¡¯s fun to mess with those loser guys. But you should really stop these silly games of fooling men for your own amusement.¡± Holden¡¯s eyes then wandered over to the men who had been staring at Elliandra, causing them to turn away before he continued. ¡°We both know you¡¯re a tomboy. There¡¯s hardly anything classy about you.¡±

    Elliandra clicked her tongue. She then slouched in her seat, crossed her arms, and put her feet on her table. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stop pretending. You¡¯re a real killjoy.¡±

    The men at the next table gasped when they saw Elliandra¡¯s drastic change in demeanor. She just glared at them. ¡°What are you idiots looking at?¡±

    The men¡¯s faces became beat red. They turned away, but continued watching Elliandra out of the corner of their eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s the brash woman I know and love,¡± Holden jeered.

    ¡°Oh, shut it! What¡¯s this about some barrier you need me to remove?¡±

    ¡°A tavern owner was murdered in my neighborhood. The tavern guard is being accused, but he¡¯s innocent.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The owner was killed with the guard¡¯s hammer, but the guard was unconscious at the time of the murder, at least according to his testimony.¡±

    ¡°And you trust his word?¡±

    ¡°Enough that I think it¡¯s worth looking in to. Minotaurs are usually pretty honest, albeit barbaric in some people¡¯s opinion.¡±

    Elliandra took a few moments to think about everything Holden had said before responding. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll remove this barrier. But I want thirty percent.¡±

    Holden¡¯s jaw dropped. She was asking for thirty percent of his commission. That was outrageous. ¡°Thirty percent? Really? I don¡¯t even know if this barrier will turn up any useful evidence. Why so much?¡±

    ¡°Because you ruined my fun.¡± Elliandra then looked over at the men at the table next to her and smiled.

    ¡°My god. You are so petty. How about ten percent?¡±

    Elliandra ignored Holden and winked at one of the men. The man¡¯s smile widened.

    Holden just shook his head. ¡°Stop messing with the poor guy. He looks desperate. Don¡¯t get his hopes up just to crush his heart.¡±

    ¡°But those are the most fun to mess with.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you''re an elf and not a demon? Or a witch trying to seduce a man only to sacrifice him to some old god?¡±

    ¡°Fifteen percent,¡± Elliandra demanded while not breaking eye contact with the man she winked at.

    Holden sighed. ¡°Fine. I can do fifteen. Now let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    Holden stood up to leave. Elliandra took her feet off the table and landed them firmly on the floor. She then held her hand out expectantly toward Holden.

    Holden sighed once again. ¡°Really?¡±

    Elliandra nodded. Holden then grabbed her hand, helping Elliandra to her feet. She then put her arms around him, and whispered in his ear, all while teasingly eyeing the same man from before. ¡°Consider this the other fifteen percent.¡±

    Holden and Elliandra then left the tavern and waved down a carriage to take them to the west side of the city. During the ride, Holden filled her in on all of the details of the case, then the two of them continued chatting.

    ¡°You know,¡± Holden said, ¡°one of these days, you¡¯re going to pay for leasing all of these men the way you do.¡±

    Elliandra chuckled. ¡°Relax, Holden. It¡¯s not like I ever get physically intimate with any of them. We never even go out. It¡¯s just some harmless flirting.¡±

    ¡°When are you going to finally find someone and settle down? Honestly, you do all this flirting, but you¡¯re never serious.¡±

    Elliandra put her hands on her hips. ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. You don¡¯t have anyone either.¡± She then looked out the window of the carriage at the people who were walking to and fro on the cobblestone sidewalks. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be tied down by anyone. I¡¯m also not floozy enough to go sleeping around with any hot guy I see. I just want to be free. I want my time to be my own. Don¡¯t want to have to share it with anyone. It¡¯s kind of nice, you know. I can leave whenever I want, move whenever I want, be whoever I want, and I don¡¯t have to worry about taking care of someone else. It might seem childish, but living this way makes me happy.¡±

    Holden shook his head and laughed. ¡°How someone like you got a position in the Mages Union is beyond me. You¡¯re way too carefree to be a stuffy bureaucrat, or a lawyer.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you''re talking to the greatest magical crimes prosecutor in all of Chrimoria. Show a little respect.¡±

    Holden had to admit that Elliandra was speaking the truth. Her job for the Mages Union was to prosecute those who violated the law and abused their magic. No one in the city was better at it than her. She was a genius in the courtroom, but she always acted like a child outside of work. It was because of this childish side of hers that Holden was reluctant to work with her. ¡°Maybe I would treat you with some respect, if you didn¡¯t act like such a child all the time.¡±

    Elliandra lightly kicked Holden in the shin.

    ¡°You little brat,¡± Holden said.

    Elliandra stuck her tongue out at him, then continued staring out the window as they rode through the city.

 The Case with the Innocent Minotaur Part 4

    Holden led Elliandra to the tavern, which had been thoroughly cleaned by the police department''s cleanup crew. The blood spatter on the wall was gone, reminding Holden how grateful he was that he was able to take pictures of the crime scene earlier. He then led Elliandra into the cellar where he found the magic barrier blocking his way.

    Elliandra took one step into the room, and she immediately knew where the barrier was. She walked over to the barrier with confidence. It was a relatively intricate barrier, far too complex for a simple dispel stone to undo, but Elliandra was able to dispel it in under a minute.

    She looked at Holden with a triumphant gaze. ¡°Huh. Easy. You¡¯re welcome. Could¡¯ve saved you some eye drops and a dispel stone if you brought me in from the onset.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not have to pay you a commission every time I work a case,¡± Hilden said. He drew both daggers on his hip and made his way through the passage the barrier had been concealing.

    ¡°That cheapskate attitude is going to cost you one day.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, just like your childish behavior.¡±

    Elliandra followed behind Holden as he made his way through the passage. She was smiling at first, until they stumbled upon a room that contained dozens of cages. The moment Elliandra stepped into the room, she was able to sense lingering fey magic in the air. Elves descended from the spiritual creatures known as the fey, which allowed them to sense their presence, or identify places where several fey have gathered. This room appeared to be one of those places, and judging by the small cages and the small bowls full of glowing powder scattered throughout the room, fey were once held in captivity here.

    Elliandra tugged on Holden¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Holden, I think someone was keeping fairies in here.¡±

    Holden looked around at the small cages. He then dipped his fingers into one of the bowls of powder and smelled it. It had a sweet scent, and its texture certainly felt like fairy dust. Holden had to admit that is what it looked like. There weren¡¯t very many creatures small enough to fit in some of these cages, and fairies made the most sense since they were often trafficked and forced to produce fairy dust, a potent magical material that had many kinds of uses, which is left behind in small portions every time a fairy uses magic. It required a fairy to use at least a dozen spells to produce enough fairy dust that could be used in one elixir like the eye drops Holden used.

    Holden had acquired his eye drops using legal means, but there was a black market for fairy dust because of how valuable and versatile it was.

    ¡°How many fairies do you think were in here?¡± Holden asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell,¡± Elliandra said. ¡°Judging by the amount of fey magic I¡¯m sensing, probably a dozen. Maybe more. Magic can dissipate over time, so it could¡¯ve been much denser at some point. Who knows how long it¡¯s been since they were here?¡±

    Meow! The black cat appeared out of nowhere once again, startling both Holden and Elliandra. It stood on top of one of the larger cages on the floor. The cage was large enough to hold something like a large dog, and the cat started rolling around and rubbing all over the top of it.

    Holden took a deep breath to calm down his rapid heart rate. ¡°It¡¯s that cat again. It always scares me like that.¡±

    Elliandra walked up to the cat. She held out a finger, and the cat sniffed it. It then began rubbing all over Elliandra¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Aww,¡± Elliandra squealed with excitement. ¡°You cait-sith are so cute.¡±

    The cat meowed once again.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Elliandra said as if the cat were thanking her. She then started scratching the cat¡¯s chin. ¡°You¡¯re such a handsome boy, aren¡¯t you? Yes you are.¡±

    Holden tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What are you doing to the cat?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a cat. It¡¯s a cait-sith. And he¡¯s cute.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a what? And why are you talking to it?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not an ¡®it¡¯, he¡¯s a ¡®he¡¯. And he is a cait-sith. They are a type of fey that looked like cats. You probably can¡¯t see it because you can¡¯t use magic, but there¡¯s a blue gem on its forehead. And it¡¯s able to talk, too.¡±

    The cat meowed as if to acknowledge what Elliandra was saying.

    Holden looked closely at the cat¡¯s forehead, wondering if there really was a gem on it. He tried touching it, but all he felt was fur.

    Holden continued stroking the cat¡¯s forehead, but turned to talk to Elliandra. ¡°There¡¯s no gem on this thing''s forehead. Is this some kind of practical joke?¡±

    The very next moment, Holden heard a male voice say something. ¡°I am not a thing.¡±

    Holden turned his head. His eyes went wide when he saw a blue gem on the cat¡¯s forehead. The gem felt real enough when he ran his finger over it, but Holden was still in disbelief.

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    ¡°Would you stop petting my forehead?¡± The cat asked. ¡°It''s demeaning.¡±

    Holden¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Wha-?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®what¡¯? Is a talking cat really that surprising? There are people who can create fire with their fingertips, but you find a talking cat baffling. Stupid human. I¡¯ve been trying to talk to you for so long. But you just stand there like an idiot gawking at me like I¡¯m some kind of dumb animal. Idiot. Stupid. Moronic.¡±

    ¡°He can understand you now,¡± Elliandra said, cutting off the cait-sith in the middle of it mocking Holden.

    The cait-sith hunched it¡¯s back in surprise. ¡°Oh. He he. I¡¯m just joking, human. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re an idiot. You¡¯re a very smart human. In fact, the smartest human.¡± The cait-sith froze as Holden stood up and started cracking his knuckles. ¡°Uhm meow.¡±

    Holden picked the cait-sith up and pinned it against the wall. ¡°Alright little kitty. Enough with the snarky attitude. You know something, don¡¯t you? A bunch of fairies were locked up in here, and now another fey is roaming around. That can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡±

    The cait-sith widened its eyes, hoping its cuteness would be enough to earn Holden¡¯s sympathy.

    Holden just shook his head. ¡°Your cute, cat eyes crap isn¡¯t going to work on me. I¡¯m not really a cat person.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so heartless. How can you not love my kitten face.¡± The cait-sith tried making its eyes wider to no avail. It just contained staring at Holden, but eventually gave up. ¡°Alright. I see this isn¡¯t working. I¡¯ll tell you everything you need to know. You just need to stop being so rough with me.¡±

    Holden put the cait-sith back on the large cage he was originally standing on. The cait-sith then began explaining everything he knew about the tavern owner''s murder. ¡°Alright. For starters, there were around a dozen fairies trapped in cages in this very room before.¡± The cait-sith then tapped the cage it was standing on with his paw. ¡°Plus, a large dog thing in this very cage here.¡±

    Elliandra tilted her head and looked at the cait-sith. ¡°They had a coin-sith? Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Indeed. It was smelly, slobbery, ugly, and stupid. Just like your friend here.¡± The cait-sith then pointed at Holden.

    ¡°Cat,¡± Holden said. ¡°I¡¯m real tempted to put you back in that cage.¡±

    ¡°Anyways,¡± the cait-sith continued ignoring Holden¡¯s idle threat. ¡°We had all been scheming to escape from this place. And one of us was fortunate to make it out. But the one who escaped wasn¡¯t a fairy. She was a pixie.¡±

    ¡°A pixie!¡± Holden said. ¡°I think I can already see where this is going.¡±

    Pixies were a type of fey often confused for fairies because of their similar appearances. Fairies greatly resemble humans, while pixies skin tones could be various other colors like blue, red, or even purple. Fairies were also benevolent while pixies were anywhere from mischievous to outright malicious.

    ¡°It¡¯s as you think,¡± the cait-sith said. ¡°When the pixie escaped, she knocked out the big minotaur with sleep magic. She then used telekinesis to lift the hammer and crush the tavern owner¡¯s skull, leaving the minotaur to take the blame.¡±

    ¡°What happened to the other fey that were trapped here?¡±

    ¡°The pixie did let the rest of us out, only on the condition that we help her wreak havoc around on our captors.¡±

    ¡°And who were your captors?¡±

    ¡°Aside from the tavern owner, I¡¯m not really sure. The pixie was the only one who knew anything about anyone else being involved since she had been held in captivity the longest.¡±

    ¡°What you said is pretty troubling,¡± Elliandra said. ¡°I doubt the tavern owner was the only one involved in trafficking fairies. That means there¡¯s more to this than just a murder.¡±

    Holden sighed. ¡°My only job is to prove the innocence of Durik, the minotaur accused of murdering the tavern owner. Anything else will be left to the police department.¡±

    Elliandra put her hands on her hips. ¡°You have a point. We¡¯ll have to present this information to the captain of the local precinct.¡± Elliandra then sighed. ¡°I guess that means I¡¯m stuck with you for the rest of your investigation. I need to be there personally to verify the legitimacy of whatever evidence you gather that might pertain to this trafficking ring.¡±

    Holden grinned at her words. ¡°Perfect. Now I can make use of your magic. That¡¯ll save me a lot of time, money, and resources.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me,¡± the cait-sith said. ¡°That tavern owner kept me, and my friends trapped. I want to make sure everyone knows what he was up to.¡±

    Holden nodded his head, then raised his eyebrow. ¡°That reminds me. Why aren¡¯t you helping the pixie get revenge? You said you were friends with the coin-sith, dog-thing, so why are you hanging around here?¡±

    ¡°Because pixies are crazy and untrustworthy. I thought it would be better to try leading the inspectors toward the truth. But they just brushed my claims away. I was hoping that Alwin guy would be more open, but he just said he had other business to attend to. The man didn¡¯t even give me a chance to speak.¡±

    ¡°So, I was your last option?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re chopped liver. Hardly a suitable meal, but better than nothing.¡±

    Elliandra laughed. ¡°There¡¯s no better way to describe him in my opinion. Regardless, you¡¯re the detective, so you¡¯re in charge.¡± She then sat up and stretched her arms. ¡°So, what¡¯s next, boss?¡±

    Holden took a moment to think. ¡°Elliandra, you said we need to present this information to the captain? There¡¯s no guarantee that he¡¯ll listen. Alwin and the first inspector ignored the cat.¡±

    ¡°We got to try. It¡¯s our best option right now.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I guess you¡¯re right. What do you say, cat? Are you up for this?¡±

    The cait-sith nodded his head. ¡°I am up for this. And could you think of something to call me other than Cat? It¡¯s really demeaning.¡±

    ¡°You never told us your name,¡± Holden said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have one. So, one of you should give me one. Preferably the lady over there. She¡¯ll probably put more thought into it. You¡¯ll just give me something even more demeaning than Cat.¡±

    Elliandra twirled a lock of her hair while she started thinking of a name for the cait-sith. She wanted to think of something that reflected his personality. The cait-sith was snarky, sarcastic, blunt, and ill-tempered. However, nothing she came up with seemed to fit, so Elliandra decided to use another criteria. ¡°Oh. I know. How about Sable.¡±

    Both the cait-sith and Holden looked at each other and frowned.

    ¡°Sable just means black,¡± Holden said.

    ¡°Maybe you should pick,¡± the cait-sith added, hoping Holden could come up with something better.

    Holden looked at the cait-sith intensely. Various names poured into his head, along with the meaning each name carried. Emmet, which meant ¡®truth¡®. Aldrich which meant ¡®wise ruler¡¯. Even Enigma, which meant ¡®mystery¡¯. All of these names and many more popped into Holden¡¯s head, but none of them quite fit his overall impression of the cait-sith. Eventually, Holden snapped his fingers after settling on one name. ¡°Fred. We¡¯ll just call you, Fred.¡±

    The cait-sith and Elliandra stared at Holden in disbelief. The cait-sith then made the decision itself. ¡°I think I¡¯ll just go with Sable.¡±

 The Case with the Innocent Minotaur Part 5

    Holden, Elliandra, and the cait-sith now calling itself Sable left the tavern and headed straight for the police station. Elliandra spoke to the dwarf at the front desk. Because of her position, she was able to secure a meeting with the station¡¯s captain right away.

    ¡°Captain Wynhart will see you now,¡± the dwarven officer said. He escorted the trio to the captain¡¯s office, then left to return to his desk.

    The captain was an elf with raven-black hair. He had a cold, piercing gaze that always seemed to put people on edge, yet Holden and Elliandra looked the man in the eyes with confidence. On the other hand, the captain gave Sable the chills.

    Holden and Elliandra each took a seat in the chairs in front of the captain¡¯s desk, while Sable quietly stood between the two of them.

    Elliandra opened the conversation. ¡°Captain Wynhart, thank you for seeing me so quickly.¡±

    Captain Wynhart nodded. ¡°When the city''s greatest prosecutor says she has something urgent to talk about, it¡¯s probably best that I hear her out.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Captain. My colleague, Mr. Holden and I, have come across some troubling evidence that relates to the murder of that tavern owner that occurred this morning.¡±

    Captain Wynhart raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, really now?¡±

    ¡°Yes Captain. Apparently, the owner was involved in fairy trafficking. We uncovered a hidden passage in the cellar that led us to a room with several cages both large and small. Most of them were small enough to hold a fairy. There were also bowls of what we suspect might be fairy dust scattered throughout the room, too.¡± She then gestured toward Sable. ¡°We also found this cait-sith who is willing to testify. He was held captive by them as well. Although they were primarily focusing on fairies, it appears they also have other fey, including a pixie and a coin-sith.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Captain Wynhart then stood up so he could look directly at Sable on the other side of his desk. ¡°Is everything they say true?¡±

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    Sable quivered when he met the captain¡¯s cold stare. ¡°Yes it is. I can personally testify to the authenticity of what they are saying.¡±

    Captain Wynhart walked over to the window on the wall behind his desk. His office was on the second floor of the station and overlooked the street. He watched people walking to and fro while pondering the information he had just been presented with. ¡°Inspector Valrin was the one assigned to this case. He¡¯s one of my top inspectors. I¡¯ll let him know.¡± Captain Wynhart looked at Sable once again. ¡°Would you be willing to speak to him? Give him your testimony? I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll go a long way in the investigation.¡±

    Sable meekly nodded his head.

    ¡°What of the minotaur?¡± Elliandra asked. ¡°The blame for the tavern owner''s murder fell on him, but he¡¯s innocent.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t enough evidence to prove that yet. But I give you my word, we will look into this further. Now if you please Miss Elliandra, would you and your associate, Mr. Holden give me and the cait-sith some time to speak alone?¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Elliandra and Holden then walked out of the captain¡¯s office and left the station all together.

    Holden noticed the fear in Sable¡¯s eyes before they left. He had to admit that Captain Wynhart was frightening. Something about the elf felt off, but Sable had agreed to do this.

    After leaving the police station, Holden and Elliandra returned to the tavern to continue searching the place for more usable evidence to help prove Durik¡¯s innocence. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t able to find anything.

    ¡°This is a dead end,¡± Holden said. He stood behind the counter, searching through the bottles of alcohol on the shelves until he spotted one on the top shelf that he liked. After grabbing a couple of shot glasses, he poured himself and Elliandra a drink and the two of them slammed a shot each.

    Elliandra tapped the counter with her finger. ¡°Hit me.¡± Holden poured her another shot and she drank it down in one gulp. ¡°I think the next step is to request to look at the case files. There isn¡¯t much else we can do without looking at the evidence ourselves.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not even assigned to this case,¡± Holden said. ¡°I don¡¯t think you can use your position to request the case files.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you suggest? Any plans rolling around in that head of yours?¡±

    Holden poured himself another shot and drank it. ¡°I think I¡¯ll head home for the night. You should, too. We¡¯ll start fresh first thing in the morning.¡± Holden then left the tavern, leaving Elliandra by herself.

    ¡°Could¡¯ve at least offered to walk a lady home. Mr. Holden, you are no gentleman, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Elliandra then had one more shot before heading home and turning in for the night.

 The Case with the Innocent Minotaur Part 6

    Once night fell on the city of Chrimoria, Holden left his office under the cover of darkness. The long coat he wore had changed colors to black, and Holden wore the face-changing mask to take on the appearance of a generic looking elf once again. He also put on a pair of black leather gloves, a black mask to further conceal his identity, and a black hood so he would blend into the darkness better.

    Holden tried to remain out of sight as he made his way toward the police station. He climbed up to the rooftop of a building across the street where he kept a close eye on the front door. Holden waited patiently as officers came in and out of the station throughout the night. There was still a large number of pedestrians on the streets, too. Chrimoria had a bustling nightlife that usually didn¡¯t calm down until after midnight.

    Holden waited until then to finally make his move. He climbed back down to the streets, and quickly but quietly rushed toward the front door of the police station. Originally, Holden had planned to pose as an inspector once again so he could walk into the station to look through case files. However, getting into the case files wasn¡¯t that easy. The room where they were kept was restricted to inspectors only. Holden knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to bluff his way into a place like that, nor could he pose as an inspector. Too many things could go wrong if he took that approach. For all Holden knew the inspector he was trying to impersonate could already be in the station, or the officers guarding the place might be familiar with the inspector, making it more difficult for Holden to fool them. These guards were always on the lookout for imposters anyways, so sneaking in unnoticed was Holden¡¯s best chance at getting a look at those case files.

    After making it to the front door of the station, Holden quietly opened the door. There was a different officer sitting at the front desk during the night shift, and it looked like that officer was having trouble keeping his eyes open.

    The room was also dimly lit. There hadn¡¯t been very many technological advancements in energy, so fire was still the primary source of light during the night. Some objects could be imbued with magic to provide light, but the magic within them would have to be replenished frequently. Another method was to make objects that would glow in the dark. They didn¡¯t provide as much light, but they lasted much longer. The latter method was what police stations used as light sources at night.

    Small, glowing crystals hung from the ceiling providing a faint blue light which dimly lit the inside of the station. Although these dim lights made it possible for people to see at night, they also had the unusual effect of making people feel sleepy.

    This boded well for Holden, because he was able to sneak past the officer at the front desk, who had shut his eyes for a brief moment, completely unaware that Holden had literally walked right in front of him.

    Holden made his way to the entrance of the evidence room. There were a couple of guards sitting at a desk by the door that Holden would have to find a way to get past without being seen. He took a blowgun and two small white paper balls from his coat pocket, then shot each paper ball in succession, hitting each guard with one ball.

    Poof! The paper balls exploded into a white powder. This powder was a mix of fairy dust, sand, and a few other ingredients which created a sleeping powder. The two guards hit the desk as they fell asleep.

    Holden then swiped the keys from one of the guards and made his way into the evidence room. Before searching through the evidence, Holden checked the entire room to ensure he was alone.

    The room had at least a dozen rows of shelves filled with boxes, files, and all sorts of other things related to investigations going back as far as the past six months.

    Once he confirmed the room was clear, Holden began searching for the case files, starting with the shelves closest to the entrance. It took him a couple minutes to sift through all of the boxes until he finally found the correct one.

    Holden placed the box on the floor, and started digging through it after using his magic eye drops. He found Durik¡¯s warhammer, and immediately noticed fine traces of magic permeating the shaft.

    Any time a spell was used on an object or person, a small amount of magic would linger. It was like how fingerprints were left behind on something a person touched. Furthermore, just like fingerprints, everyone¡¯s magic was unique, and there were methods for identifying these differences.

    The inspector should have been aware of this. Holden looked for a copy of the report the inspector wrote up for the case and found no mention of the magic signature.

    Holden was about to continue searching for any other discrepancies when he suddenly heard the door to the evidence room swing open. He quickly packed everything up, put the box back on the shelf, and hid before whoever had made their way inside was able to find him.

    An elf wearing an inspector¡¯s uniform walked down the aisle Holden had just been looking through. The elf was male, bald, and held a white crystal in his hand that glowed brightly. This was this world¡¯s equivalent of a flashlight. It was a brightly glowing crystal that used magic to generate light. Just like a flashlight, the light could be turned on and off.

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    The bald elf pointed the light at the boxes and stopped right when he saw the box Holden had just been looking through. The elf then grabbed the box, and walked out of the evidence room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

    Holden quickly and quietly went after the elf. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t very many people in the station, so Holden was able to stealthily follow the elf without any trouble.

    The elf made his way out the back door and into the alleyway. Holden continued following him while sticking to the shadows to remain unseen, his footsteps so quiet that the elven inspector remained oblivious to the fact that he was being followed.

    The elven inspector made his way through a series of back alleys until he found himself face-to-face with two figures. One was a massive minotaur standing over eleven feet tall with an ax in one hand. The other was a human in blue mage¡¯s robes.

    The human gestured for the elven inspector to follow him and the minotaur. The three of them then went to an abandoned building a few blocks away. They walked up to the second floor, unaware that Holden was tailing them.

    Holden¡¯s gut was telling him that these guys were part of the fairy trafficking ring, but he hadn¡¯t expected what happened next.

    The building Holden had followed the human, minotaur, and elf into had large rooms with a wide open space. It looked like an abandoned, multi-story warehouse. It was unusual for a building with this much empty space to go unused in the city of merchants, but that wasn¡¯t the most surprising thing that Holden saw. The thing most startling to Holden was that once he arrived on the second floor, he saw Sable tied up to a support beam, while being poked with a dagger by a scrawny-looking human.

    ¡°No. Please. Stop.¡± Sable cried.

    The human kept poking him with the tip of the dagger. ¡°Come on, kitty. You know what we want. Tell us where all of your friends are, and we won¡¯t have to take drastic measures.¡±

    The elven inspector groaned. ¡°You¡¯ve been at this for hours and haven¡¯t gotten anything out of the stupid feline?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry,¡± the blue-robed human said. ¡°You got the evidence already, and brought this cait-sith to us. We¡¯ll take care of the rest from here, Valrin.¡±

    After hearing that name, Holden was able to put all of the pieces together. The name of the elf inspector was Valrin, who was the inspector assigned to investigate the murder of the tavern owner. That explained why the inspector ignored all the evidence and arrested Durik. Valrin was somehow involved in this fairy trafficking ring, and wanted to cover his tracks. Destroying the evidence was just another way to ensure no one would be able to discover the truth.

    Valrin sneered at the blue-robed human. ¡°Then what are we going to do about that nosy prosecutor? And that PI as well? The two of them know something is amiss. How are we going to deal with them?¡±

    ¡°We have people who can deal with this. It¡¯ll be easy to make the PI disappear. The prosecutor is a well-known figure. It¡¯ll take some work to get her out of the picture, but our associates will take care of everything. You just do your job, inspector. Keep covering our tracks, and we¡¯ll keep your coffers full of coin.¡±

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll get out of your way then.¡± Valrin dropped the box on the ground and started walking away.

    If he wanted to break this case wide open, then Holden needed to act now. Otherwise, inspector Valrin might get away scot free.

    Pew! Holden fired a blow dart with a fast-acting poison that would paralyze someone instantly at Valrin¡¯s neck. Valrin fell flat on the ground once the paralysis took effect.

    The minotaur ran over to check on him. Holden quickly ran behind the minotaur, slashed its calves, and then concealed himself in the shadows once more.

    Agh! The minotaur howled. ¡°What was that?¡±

    The two humans looked around with bright, glowing crystals in hand, but they didn¡¯t see anything.

    Holden took advantage of the confusion. He grabbed a throwing knife from his boot, and tossed it at the head of the man who had been poking Sable with a dagger.

    The knife pierced his skull, causing the man to bleed. It wasn¡¯t enough to kill the man right away, but he collapsed to the ground and was slowly bleeding out.

    The blue-robed man pulled out a wand from beneath his sleeve and started firing spells. A fireball hit the spot where Holden had just been standing when he threw the knife, but to the blue-robed man¡¯s dismay, Holden had already changed positions.

    Holden threw another knife at the blue-robed man, hitting him right in the chest. The blue-robed man shot another fireball, but Holden rolled out of the way.

    With the twin daggers he carried on his hip in hand, Holden was able to sneak behind the blue-robed man and drive both daggers into his back.

    Agghh! The blue-robed man screamed in pain before passing out from shock.

    Right as Holden was about to walk over to Sable, the minotaur charged at Holden from behind. The minotaur swung his ax horizontally. However, both the minotaur¡¯s and Sable¡¯s eyes popped when they saw Holden backflip over the ax. Holden then kicked the minotaur in the head before finishing the backflip. He then grabbed the minotaur by the horn, tugged on it to raise its head off of the ground, and sliced its throat.

    Now that the fight was over, Holden checked the pulses of the minotaur and two humans to ensure they were all dead before cutting the ropes keeping Sable tied to the support beam.

    ¡°Oh, great. The idiot human saved me,¡± Sable said mockingly. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t it be the pretty elf lawyer lady?¡±

    ¡°Cats crushing on elves?¡± Holden jeered. ¡°That¡¯s a new one.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, you dolt. I just like her more.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should just tie you back up and leave you here.¡±

    ¡°No. That¡¯s fine. Forgive my constant bantering. I do appreciate you saving me.¡±

    Holden could tell Sable was being sincere, so he decided not to make fun of him for now. He grabbed the box of evidence Valrin had tossed on the ground, then continued talking to Sable. ¡°So, what exactly happened after Elliandra and I left you with Captain Wynhart?¡±

    ¡°He left me in an interrogation room with that maniac,¡± Sable explained, pointing at Valrin. ¡°After this inspector interviewed me for a couple of hours he escorted me out of the station. Little did I know he led me through the back door where the minotaur was waiting to grab me. Can¡¯t say for sure whether or not the captain was complicit in the whole thing, but I don¡¯t trust him one bit.¡±

    ¡°Well, I know one person we can trust to take care of this.¡±

    ¡°Relly? Who?¡±

 The Case with the Innocent Minotaur Part 7

    After returning home from the tavern, Elliandra decided to wind down for the night. She cracked open a book and read for an hour before going to sleep. However, right before her head hit the pillow, she was startled awake by a familiar voice.

    ¡°Hi Elliandra,¡± Holden said from behind her window curtain.

    Ahhh! Elliandra screamed and threw her pillow at him. ¡°Holden! What are you doing here!?¡±

    ¡°Sable¡¯s here too.¡±

    Sable appeared right beside Elliandra on her bed and said, ¡°Hello, my Lady.¡±

    Elliandra looked at the two of them and groaned. ¡°What are you two doing here?¡±

    Holden left out the fact that he had snuck inside the police station to look at the case files and evidence. However, he explained everything related to what had happened to Sable.

    Elliandra¡¯s jaw dropped after hearing the story. ¡°Oh my god. Are you two okay? Is there anything I can do?¡±

    Holden and Sable looked at each other and smiled before Holden made his request.

    ¡°Are there any inspectors with the department that you trust?¡± Holden asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then tell them we have the case of the century for them.¡±

    Elliandra sighed. She then dug a palm-sized stone out of the drawer of her nightstand. This stone was made of malachite, a stone that contains trace amounts of copper. It was a material used by mages to communicate over long distances. All it required was for the spell''s inscription to be carved into the stone and for the mage to pour their magic into it, then they could contact anyone they knew from anywhere in the world, as long as they also had one of this stones.

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    Elliandra managed to get in touch with her contact, who said they would meet her at the location she provided.

    Elliandra told Holden and Sable to wait outside while she changed out of her nightgown into more appropriate clothing. She then went with Holden and Sable to the abandoned building. After deciding to get in touch with Elliandra, Holden had tied up Valrin to a support beam. The bodies of the minotaur and two humans were just left on the floor where they fell.

    Holden, Elliandra, and Sable waited several minutes for the person Elliandra had contacted to arrive. Her contact was a captain from another precinct in Chrimoria. He was a dwarf that went by the name Captain Hardfall.

    Captain Hardfall arrived on horseback with a dozen officers. All of them were dressed in plated armor with the insignia of the Chrimoria Police Department on it, a golden griffon standing on its hind legs with a white circle around it that said Chrimoria Police Department.

    Captain Hardfall and his men met with Holden and the others on the second floor. The captain looked around and grunted. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good. Elliandra, you said this inspector was involved in the whole thing?¡±

    ¡°Yes captain,¡± Elliandra replied. ¡°The inspector was conspiring to destroy any evidence related to a murder case involving a tavern owner who we suspect was involved in a fairy trafficking ring.¡±

    Captain Hardfall¡¯s eyes wandered over to the box of evidence beside Holden. ¡°Is that the evidence?¡±

    ¡°Aye aye Captain,¡± Holden said.

    ¡°You got a sense of humor, Mr. Holden. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re the one who dug up this whole conspiracy, though, so thanks for that. My people and I will take things from here. Don¡¯t expect much, though. The chain of custody for this evidence has been broken. It might be inadmissible in court.¡±

    Captain Hardfall took all of the evidence, Inspector Valrin, and asked if Holden and Sable would come with them as well.

    They spent the rest of the evening at Captain Hardfall¡¯s precinct answering questions, and weren¡¯t released until morning.

 The Case with the Innocent Minotaur Epilogue

    Several days later, Holden was sitting in his office with his legs up on the desk while reading the daily newspaper. The front page read Chrimoria PD Inspector Found Guilty of Covering Up Murder. Possible Involvement In a Fairy Trafficking Ring. Holden smiled when he read the article. Apparently, one of the inspectors working under Captain Hardfall was able to prove Durik¡¯s innocence.

    The article didn¡¯t go into details about how. The writer theorized it was divination magic which allowed the magic caster to view the history of an object. Holden chuckled at the thought. That level of magic would¡¯ve been costly and required a powerful divination mage. The idea that someone would use all those resources just to prove the innocence of a single minotaur mercenary seemed absurd. Regardless, Holden technically completed the job he was hired for. Durik¡¯s wife, Cadelina, had also already paid him for his services, so Holden was happy.

    Holden was about to move on to read the next section in the paper, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

    The knock was followed by a deep, masculine voice. ¡°Hello, Mr. Holden. Are you in there?¡±

    Holden opened the door and found none other than Durik on the other side.

    Durik smiled when he saw Holden. ¡°Ah, so you are here. I just wanted to give you my thanks. The Chrimoria Police Department might have been the ones to clear my name, but at the end of the day none of it would¡¯ve happened without your help.¡± Durik then placed his fist over his chest. ¡°If you ever need my aid, please feel free to call on me.¡±

    Durik said his goodbyes, then Holden went back to his desk, only to find Sable sitting on it.

    ¡°That trick of yours is starting to get old,¡± Holden said.

    Sable chuckled. ¡°I quite enjoy seeing the startled expressions on people¡¯s faces. It never gets old.¡±

    Holden crossed his arms. ¡°So, what is it you¡¯re doing here anyway? Shouldn¡¯t you be with Elliandra helping her find that pixie you were talking about and searching for anyone else involved in the fairy trafficking ring?¡±

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    ¡°There¡¯s not much I can really do. The Mages Union and the Police Department don¡¯t really hire cait-sith, since they consider us animals.¡±

    Holden laughed. ¡°That¡¯s hilarious. So, you can¡¯t even help put your captors behind bars.¡±

    ¡°Laugh it up human, but I¡¯ve decided to help you out instead. Figured you can use someone sensitive to magic on your side, seeing as you¡¯re incapable of using it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re hoping we¡¯ll stumble across this trafficking ring, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Why, never,¡± Sable jeered. ¡°I¡¯m here to help a friend in need. If I¡¯ve learned anything in the short time I¡¯ve known you, it¡¯s that you and your brain are both fighting to win the biggest loser contest, and I¡¯m not sure which one of you is winning. You need my help. Trust me. You¡¯re not Elliandra, but even chopped liver is better than no meal.¡±

    Holden slapped his forehead in frustration. ¡°This is why I hate cats.¡±

    ¡°How can you hate me? I¡¯m so cute and cuddly. Anyways, let¡¯s go, chopped liver. There are crimes to solve.¡±

    ¡°Oh, lucky me.¡± Holden sighed. Sable¡¯s stuck-up attitude was irritated, but Holden had to admit that having a partner who was sensitive to magic would be useful. ¡°Fine then, Cat. I guess we can work together for a bit. But don¡¯t get too attached to the idea.¡±

    ***

    Right after Durik left Holden¡¯s office, he returned home to meet with his wife, Cadelina. The Minotaur held back the tears in his eyes as he saw his wife, and he held her in a tender embrace. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to be back, darling.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you too, honey,¡± Cadelina said. ¡°I was so worried that I¡¯d have to raise our child by myself.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s our custom to name the child after the ones who saved our family.¡±

    ¡°I guess Holden can work for a boy or a girl. Though, I wonder if that is the detective¡¯s first name, or his last name.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good point. If I see him again, I should ask.¡±

    There was a sudden knock on the door, interrupting their conversation. Durik opened the door, expecting to see someone standing on the other side. However, all he found was a letter addressed to him from the Mage¡¯s Union. It was a job offer as a bodyguard for a well-known public figure in Chrimoria.

    Cadelina wrapped her arms around Durik from behind. ¡°What is it, honey?¡±

    ¡°This is odd. I received a job offer from Lady Selene of the Mages Union.¡±

    ¡°The director of the Mages Union? That¡¯s odd. Why would she want to hire you for a job?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But if it¡¯s legit, it¡¯s a good opportunity. This is exactly what we needed right now.¡± Durik then looked Cadelina directly in the eyes. ¡°Darling, I love you. And I promise I¡¯ll give you and our child the life you deserve.¡±

    Durik then kissed his wife, then the two of them held each other for a while longer with their hearts full of gratitude. Both for the man who had proven Durik¡¯s innocence, and the new opportunity that had just arrived on their doorstep.

 The Case with the Missing Sword Part 1

    Chrimoria, the city of Merchants was home to a peculiar duo of private investigators. One was a human, and a former spy named Holden; the other was a Cait Sith named Sable.

    Despite having agreed to work with one another less than a week prior, this unlikely duo had yet to work a single case together. Out of sheer boredom, Holden and Sable decided to go out to one of the many nearby taverns. They arrived at the Red Sun Tavern, and quickly found a seat. At first, Holden and Sable had only intended to grab a bite to eat, but they soon found themselves in the middle of a rousing game of poker.

    Holden grinned as he discarded two cards and drew two more to replace them. He had a strong hand. Two Jacks and two nines. Holden¡¯s confidence was written all over his face.

    Sable sat at the table right next to Holden, all-the-while wondering just how foolish his partner, Holden, was.

    ¡°Should you really be betting your money like this?¡± Sable asked. ¡°We haven¡¯t had a job in a whole week. You can¡¯t afford to be wasteful with your funds.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Holden said. ¡°I have enough digmata for us to get by on.¡±

    Digmata was the term used for currency in the world of Thanador, which was the fantasy world that the city of Chrimoria was located in. It was named after a human woman and a dwarven man who thousands of years ago invented the idea of exchanging currency for goods, rather than bartering. This woman¡¯s name was Eumata, and she was known as the Sage of Commerce. The man¡¯s name was Digmund, who was also the father of black smithing. The currency was primarily coins with copper coins being the least valuable. Ten copper coins value was equal to one silver coin, ten silver coins equaled one gold, and ten gold equaled one platinum coin. Holden was betting five silver coins on his current hand, which was enough digmata to buy ten meals at the average restaurant.

    Sable stretched out his paws on the table and yawned. ¡°Well, you are an idiot. Hopefully, your luck is just as dumb as you are.¡±

    ¡°Enjoy it while you can, Cat. I¡¯m going to be going home richer than I came.¡±

    Once all the other players were ready, everyone showed their cards. Holden looked around at the other player¡¯s hand triumphantly, until he saw the hand of the player sitting directly across from him. They had a straight, with the lowest card being a seven and the highest being a Jack.

    ¡°What!?¡± Holden said in dismay. He then saw the smug expression on Sable¡¯s face. ¡°Shut it, Cat.¡±

    Undeterred, Holden continued trying to win back the money he had lost, only to lose another ten silvers in the process before finally conceding.

    Holden and Sable went to another table. Holden then ordered a drink, while he and Sable chatted for a bit to pass the time. A young man sat at the table next to them. His clothes were decent looking, but worn, like he had been on the road for days, or even weeks. He also wore some light armor with a crest of a bear on it. There was an exquisite looking sword leaning against the wall right beside him.

    The young man quickly scarfed down the meal that was brought to him around the same time Holden had gotten his drink. A few minutes later, the young man began dozing off.

    Holden didn¡¯t give him much thought. It was apparent that this gentleman was a traveler, a swordsman, and from a prestigious family based on the fact that he had a crest on his armor.

    Sable noticed Holden examining the young man and asked,¡± So, what¡¯s the story behind him.¡±

    Holden shrugged. ¡°If I had to guess, he¡¯s on some kind of journey, and is just passing through Chrimoria. Judging by that crest and sword, he¡¯s from a family with some renown, but likely a knight. Only knights would go on a journey by themselves. Nobles or royals would have bodyguards escorting them. This man is by himself.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible he snuck away from his escorts?¡±

    ¡°Possibly. I saw him walking in a few minutes ago during the game. He walks more like a soldier than a noble, though.¡±

    ¡°Are you willing to bet on it?¡± Sable jeered.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Holden rolled his eyes and just continued drinking.

    By sunset, most people had cleared out of the tavern, leaving Holden, Sable, and the young man, who was still snoozing, as three of the four remaining patrons. Once the sun had finally gone down, Holden and Sable finally decided to leave. However, right as they were about to walk out the door-

    Ahh! Holden and Sable turned around to see the young man screaming, and saying ¡°My sword! Where is my sword!?¡±

    The young man frantically searched around his table for his sword. Unfortunately, there were no signs of it.

    Holden and Sable both tilted their heads at the young man. Neither of them had even noticed the sword had gone missing.

    Holden sighed. Getting involved seemed like a hassle, but there was nothing else for him and Sable to do, since they hadn¡¯t had a job all week. Solving the mystery of the missing sword was better than sitting around doing nothing back at the office.

    Holden beckoned the bartender over to talk. ¡°Did you see anything out of the ordinary? Maybe someone watching this young man, or anything like that?¡±

    The bartender shook his head. Holden could tell the bartender was telling the truth, so he thanked him before walking over to the young man. ¡°Hey, kid. You look like you could use a hand.¡±

    The young man¡¯s eyes brightened at Holden¡¯s words. ¡°Did you see what happened to my sword? Who took it? Please tell me.¡±

    The young man got closer and closer with every word, making Holden a little uncomfortable. ¡°Whoa there, kid. A little personal space would be nice. Now where did you last see your sword?¡±

    ¡°Well, uhm. Let¡¯s see. Maybe it was by my side. Then I think I dozed off. Next thing I knew I woke up and it was gone. Never moved it or anything from my side while I was awake. Someone had to have walked away with it.¡± The young man curled up into a ball on the seat he had been sitting in earlier. He then started speaking incredibly fast in a panicked tone of voice. ¡°Oh, this is terrible. That sword¡¯s a family heirloom. My father gave it to me, and his father gave it to him. And so on and so on.¡±

    The young man continued babbling. Meanwhile, Holden and Sable had a conversation off to the side.

    ¡°I think that human¡¯s mind is broken,¡± Sable said. ¡°Maybe we should just leave him be. Go home, and find something else to do to occupy our time.¡±

    Holden scratched the back of his head. ¡°Yeah. Good point. Who knows where it could¡¯ve gone off to.¡±

    At that moment, another customer stumbled toward Holden and Sable. He was a drunken elf who reeked of alcohol and slurred his speech when he talked. ¡°I saw that sword before it disappeared. But it wasn¡¯t by the kid¡¯s side while he was sleeping.¡±

    ¡°You saw it!¡± The young man said, his voice cracking from the enthusiasm. ¡°Where did you see it? Where did it go?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to give this information for free, you know.¡± The drunk elf then rubbed his thumb and pointer finger together, a gesture commonly used to suggest one expected to be paid. ¡°I expect to be compensated for this.¡±

    The bartender then said, ¡°Kid, he ain¡¯t going to tell you unless you offer to cover his tab.¡±

    The young man eagerly agreed, and the drunk elf began explaining what he saw. ¡°Okay, so I was on my fifth- No, no, no, it was my sixth. Yeah, it was my sixth drink when I saw you fall asleep. Then about three or four drinks later, I swear I saw the sword get up and float away.¡±

    The young man, Holden, and Sable all looked utterly disappointed. The man was drunk, so they all concluded that he was probably hallucinating.

    Sable then looked at the young man¡¯s disappointed expression with a mocking gaze. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot for believing this dolt of an elf could give you any valuable information.¡±

    All the young man heard when Sable spoke was a cat meowing. The young man wasn¡¯t capable of using magic, thus wouldn¡¯t be able to hear any cait-sith talk, unless he became aware of the fact that Sable could talk, or was a cait-sith. The young man¡¯s only response to Sable¡¯s comment was, ¡°Why in the world is there a cat in the bar? It looks like it¡¯s mocking me.¡±

    ¡°The cat¡¯s actually a cait-sith,¡± Holden explained. ¡°He can understand everything we¡¯re all saying. And he thinks you¡¯re an idiot.¡±

    Sable swished his tail in irritation. ¡°Don¡¯t tell him that, you fool. I rather enjoyed watching the boy squirming about unaware of what I really am.¡±

    ¡°Too bad, Cat. I enjoy making your life miserable.¡±

    Sable just scoffed. Meanwhile, the young man¡¯s eyes went wide, because he was now able to understand what Sable was saying. ¡°Wow, a talking cat. That¡¯s amazing. Wait a second, my swords missing. I don¡¯t have the time for this.¡±

    Sable huffed in annoyance with the young man¡¯s dismal of him. ¡°I have an idea,¡± Sable said sarcastically. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hire the two of us to find your sword.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean you and this man with you? Could you two really find my sword?¡±

    Sable gave the young man a confident grin. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re private investigators, you know. We can recover that sword for you, mister.¡± Sable then paused, because he didn¡¯t know the young man¡¯s name.

    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± The young man slightly bowed. ¡°You can call me Mathias Barester. I¡¯m the son of a knight. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    Sable then jumped up onto the table, and confidentially pranced up to Mathias. ¡°You can call me Sable.¡± He then gestured toward Holden. ¡°And my stupid looking human is Holden.¡±

    Holden just sighed without making any comeback. He then crossed his arms and sat on one of the tables across from Sable and Mathias. ¡°Listen, kid. The cat¡¯s right. You could hire us to get your sword back. Just don¡¯t get your hopes up. We got no leads, and will have to go poking around the criminal underworld to find this thing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me,¡± Mathias said. ¡°If it means getting my family¡¯s sword back, I¡¯ll take on Chrimoria¡¯s entire criminal underworld.¡±

    Holden and Sable both chuckled, then gestured for Mathias to follow them as they made their way outside.

 The Case with the Missing Sword Part 2

    The trio exited the tavern into the cool night air of Chrimoria. It was dark out at the time, yet there were still plenty of people roaming the streets.

    Mathias rushed to catch up to Holden and Sable, and asked, ¡°So, how are you going to find my sword? Divination magic? Maybe a tracking spell of some kind?¡±

    ¡°Do you even know how costly that would be?¡± Sable asked. ¡°The caster would need to have seen your sword first, then cast the spell. Even if there were a diviner who had seen it, a spell that¡¯ll constantly track a specific object would cost you a lot of digmata to cover the materials. I¡¯m talking several gold coins at least. Not to mention diviners are hard to find to begin with. They can easily upcharge you.¡±

    Mathias gulped. ¡°So, how are we going to find it then?¡±

    Holden hummed a bit as they walked down the street without answering Mathias¡¯s question. He then blurted out loud enough for the entire block to hear, ¡°Hey, has anyone seen a sword wandering around on its own coming through here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Sable said sarcastically. ¡°That¡¯ll definitely get us some leads. Why don¡¯t we just go wandering around town shouting like a bunch of mad men.¡± Sable then mumbled. ¡°Real top-notch detective work, idiot.¡±

    Mathias¡¯s jaw just about dropped to the ground. ¡°What!? Is this your idea of finding my sword? Are you sure you¡¯re really a detective?¡±

    Sable chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s got a good point there.¡±

    A man in raggedly clothing raised his hand up in the air. ¡°Hey, I saw a walking sword come through here.¡±

    The man was disheveled. His eye was twitching, and he looked malnourished. Holden wouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover, though. Hidden beneath the unsightly appearance of this vagrant were a pair of sharp eyes that likely had seen many things. Holden got the impression that this man had a tragic past befitting his misfortune.

    Holden tossed the man a couple digmata. ¡°Tell me exactly what you say.¡± He then shoved Mathias forward. ¡°If your information turns out to be helpful, this young man will be glad to throw a little more digmata your way.¡±

    The disheveled man grinned. ¡°You know exactly how to do business on the streets. Follow me. I¡¯ll show you where I saw it.¡± He led them down an alley toward an area where it intersected, making a t-shape with another alley. ¡°It was right here that I saw it. There was this sword just floating on by, when this little green creature suddenly tried grabbing it. I think it was a goblin.¡±

    ¡°A goblin,¡± Holden said, looking around and noticing a manhole in the middle of the intersecting alley. ¡°So, this goblin took the sword?¡±

    ¡°Naw, it didn¡¯t. Maybe my sight isn¡¯t what it used to be, but it looked like the goblin was in a tug-of-war against something for the sword. Of course, there wasn¡¯t anything pulling on the other side of that sword, as far as I could see. Of course, I¡¯ve been around long enough to know that doesn¡¯t mean there was nothing there.¡±

    Sable brushed up against Holden¡¯s leg and sniffed the spot the disheveled man had pointed out. There was a wretched smell in the air that made Sable¡¯s face contort. ¡°It definitely smells like something from the sewers came here. Doesn¡¯t mean this vagrant isn¡¯t either crazy, or just scamming us, though.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I ain¡¯t crazy,¡± the disheveled man said while shaking a fist at Sable.

    ¡°You can hear me?¡± Sable¡¯s ears were flat against his head, showing his nervousness.

    ¡°Of course I can hear you. I¡¯m not deaf. Dumb cat.¡±

    Holden laughed under his breath.

    ¡°So, you can use magic then?¡± Sable asked, since only magic users could hear him talk without being aware that he had the capability. ¡°By chance could your magic help us locate the sword?¡±

    The disheveled man scratched his cheek. ¡°Eh, sorry. Best I can do is make some flames with my magic. Got no fancy tracking spells, or divination. Just offensive magic.¡±

    ¡°Regardless, thank you for the information,¡± Holden said.

    The disheveled man then leaned in toward Mathias. ¡°You better come back and give me that digmata I was promised after you find your sword, kid.¡±

    Mathias put his hands in front of him and took a step back. ¡°I promise. I will. Thank you.¡±

    The disheveled man then walked off, leaving Holden, Sable, and Mathias in the alley. The three of them huddled together to speak, questioning whether or not they could even believe the story that disheveled man told them.

    Sable was the first to speak up. ¡°So, what¡¯s the consensus? That man was crazy, right?¡±

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    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t think we can trust his word,¡± Mathias concurred. ¡°There was something off about that guy.¡±

    Holden wasn¡¯t surprised by Sable and Mathias¡¯s reactions. People often judged the homeless, suspecting them of being deranged. However, Holden knew better than to jump to those sorts of conclusions. He could tell the man was both clear of mind and telling the truth. ¡°I think his story has some merit. It¡¯s worth looking into. But we need someone with an ear to the ground in the criminal underworld. If someone stole your sword, they likely are trying to sell it.¡±

    Mathias scowled. ¡°That sword could fetch a very high price. It¡¯s not like they could just sell it to a fence.¡±

    Holden gave Mathias a sideways glance. ¡°We¡¯re talking about the criminal underworld here. For the pricier things, thieves have options other than a fence.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mathias asked.

    ¡°Just follow me, kid. And stay close. We¡¯re headed to the south side of town. That country bumpkin look on your face will make you a prime target for pickpockets.¡±

    ***

    The south side of Chrimoria was where the slums were located. This side of town mainly housed struggling merchants who were barely able to make a living, people in lower paying positions, and some of the more unsavory elements of the city.

    Gangs, vagrants, and street urchins roamed the various roads and alleyways that made up the south side. Fortunately, Holden and the others were able to avoid running into trouble. The place they were headed to was a pawn shop located near the center of the south side called Martin¡¯s Magnificent Marvels.

    A little bell that hung right above the door rang the moment Holden entered. Mathias walked in with him while Sable trailed right behind the two.

    The pawn shop itself was rather small, but contained multiple shelves displaying several items. Some were exquisite glassware, others were magic items, and there were even some leather-bound books, along with various other expensive looking objects.

    A bald, middle-aged man sat behind the cashier¡¯s counter, tapping his finger out of boredom until he saw Holden walk in. This man was Martin, the proprietor of the pawn shop, and he wasn¡¯t too pleased to see Holden ¡°Oh joy. The great detective graces me with his presence,¡± the man said sarcastically. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±

    Holden looked around the room at all of the items displayed, but didn¡¯t see Mathias¡¯s sword among them. ¡°I¡¯m looking for something. A sword. Pretty exquisite. Just went missing a couple hours again. Anyone turn in anything like that?¡±

    Martin huffed, then turned his head while closing his eyes so Holden couldn¡¯t see his facial expression. ¡°No. Nothing like that. Even if someone did, do you really think I¡¯d tell you for free?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. That¡¯s not how things work. This is business. Everything comes at a price.¡±

    Crack! Everyone turned toward the sound of shattering glass. Sable was standing on the shelf where some of the glassware was and had knocked over one of the pieces when Martin refused to answer Holden¡¯s question.

    ¡°Hey, how did that cat get in here!?¡± Martin shouted, brimming with anger.

    Sable chuckled. ¡°Oops, did I do that? How clumsy of me.¡±

    Martin wasn¡¯t a magic user, nor was he aware that Sable was a cait-sith, so Sable just sounded like a regular cat to him.

    ¡°You troublesome alley cat.¡± Martin walked around the counter and went to grab Sable off of the shelf. However, Sable suddenly disappeared, then reappeared on a different shelf only a few feet away.

    Crack! Sable started walking all over the shelf, knocking multiple items over. Some were delicate enough to break when they hit the ground, others ended up dented, while some just hit the floor without being damaged at all.

    Martin waved his hands around in distress. ¡°No! Some of those items are worth dozens of gold coins! Holden, remove that cat for me, please.¡±

    Holden put his hands on his hips and smirked. ¡°You¡¯ll be giving me all the information I ask for in exchange, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes. I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know. Please just save my shop.¡±

    Sable yawned while stretching when Holden picked him up off the shelf, and tossed him outside. The cait-sith then started scratching at the door. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t just toss me out like some wild animal. At least treat me with care. Holden! Holden! Holden! Get back here and apologize!¡±

    Holden ignored Sable¡¯s shouting, and returned to talking to Martin. ¡°So, the sword?¡±

    Martin sighed. ¡°I heard from a customer who left a few minutes before you about a floating sword in the sewers. You know how thieves like to use them to avoid the guards. Not sure why a sword would be floating, though.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible some kind of creature was carrying it? Maybe a goblin?¡±

    ¡°Well, goblins can turn invisible. So can fairies and pixies.¡±

    Sable was able to hear the conversation despite being outside. His ears perked up the moment Martin mentioned pixies. ¡°I bet you it¡¯s that pixie who freed me from captivity. This case is getting more interesting by the second. Let¡¯s go Holden. We have to find that sword.¡±

    Mathias raised an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s that cat going on about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± Holden replied. ¡°Anything else you can tell me, Martin?¡±

    Martin scratched his chin for a moment before an idea came to mind. ¡°There¡¯s a fence I do business with at timers. She sells me any items of value she con¡¯s off of those who don¡¯t know any better. Look for a beastfolk by the name of Scallia. She¡¯s a bird woman that hangs out in the undercity. Find Ike¡¯s Undercroft Pub. She¡¯s usually there most of the time.¡±

    Holden thanked Martin for his help. He and Mathias left the pawn shop, and met up with Sable outside, who was glaring at Holden.

    Sable¡¯s tail twitched in irritation. ¡°How could you just grab me by the scruff of my collar and toss me outside like that?¡±

    ¡°Call it revenge for all the snarky comments,¡± Holden retorted. ¡°That being said, that was a pretty clever rouse. Since when were you able to teleport?¡±

    Sable held his chin up with pride. ¡°Do you see this blue gem on my forehead? Not only does it signify my identity as a cait-sith, it also signifies that I¡¯m part of the azure bloodline. All cait-sith from this bloodline can cast minor teleport.¡±

    ¡°If you could teleport all this time, then why¡¯d you need me to save you when we first met?¡±

    Sable huffed. ¡°It¡¯s not like I could¡¯ve in those circumstances. Cantrips have their limitations after all.¡±

    Minor teleport was a cantrip, which was the lowest rank of spell. A cantrip required so little magic that a spell caster could theoretically continually cast it without ever running out of mana, the energy used to fuel magic. The cantrip, minor teleportation, allowed the user to teleport up to five feet away, as long as they weren¡¯t restrained by anyone. Even someone simply touching the caster would prevent the spell from working. Of course, Holden wasn¡¯t aware of this limitation.

    Mathias slapped his forehead. ¡°Do you two always banter like this? Can we get back to finding my sword?¡±

 The Case with the Missing Sword Part 3

    The Undercity was a series of interconnected tunnels, undercrofts, and basements that essentially all came together to create a community beneath Chrimoria. This community was a refuge for criminals, and became a place where illicit businesses set up shop to pedal their wares. It was said that anything you couldn¡¯t buy on the surface could be found in the Undercity. The one gripe residents of the Undercity had was that the only way most of them could get to the Undercity was to go through the sewers. There were buildings with basements that connected to it, but most people wouldn¡¯t just let common criminals use those entrances.

    Holden and the others may not have been criminals, but it would¡¯ve been more of a hassle to try to get permission that way. It was for that very reason that the trio decided to make their way to the Undercity through the sewers.

    Sable couldn¡¯t stop himself from cringing from the gross smell. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to vomit. Why did we have to come here?¡±

    ¡°You seemed so motivated earlier,¡± Holden pointed out. ¡°I recall you saying something about suspecting the pixie who freed you being behind the sword¡¯s theft.¡±

    ¡°Of course. It had to be the pixie. She already killed one person. Now she¡¯s probably plotting to kill someone else involved in the fairy trafficking ring.¡±

    ¡°The what now?¡± Mathias had heard Sable raving about a pixie outside of the pawn shop. However, Holden and Sable hadn¡¯t explained it to him yet.

    Holden decided to tell the story while they were walking through the sewers.

    Mathias¡¯s jaw dropped when he heard the tale. ¡°Wow, so a pixie escaped and murdered her captor, only to release and coax the other prisoners taking revenge against everyone involved in the trafficking ring. That¡¯s pretty crazy.

    ¡°Hey, wait, Sable. If you¡¯re so interested in stopping this trafficking ring and the pixie, then why are you working with Holden? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to get a job with the police department? Or maybe this prosecutor you both worked with?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because they wouldn''t hire me. They just treat me like a pet. As for Elliandra, she can¡¯t get involved in any investigations directly.¡±

    ¡°So, Holden was just your best option?¡±

    ¡°Chop lover is better than no meat at all.¡±

    Holden grumbled. ¡°This is the second time you¡¯ve referred to me as that.¡±

    Sable huffed. ¡°And how many times do you call me cat? I think from now on Chopped Liver will be your nickname.¡±

    ¡°Detective Chopped Liver,¡± Mathias jeered. ¡°Or maybe just Detective Liver.¡±

    ¡°My price just increased,¡± Holden responded with a straight face, despite the fact that he was joking.

    After about an hour of walking through the sewers, the three of them finally made it to the entrance to the Undercity. Despite being an underground community made up of tunnels, the Undercity was a lively place full of people.

    Holden and Sable both walked through the tunnels as if it were normal. The two of them had been here before, so the awe and wonder had dissipated. On the other hand, Mathias¡¯s eyes lit up as they made their way through the Undercity. ¡°Wow, this place is kind of amazing.¡±

    Holden had expected this from Mathias. People from outside of Chrimoria often found themselves awed by the city itself, because there was nowhere else in the world like it. Chrimoria had a larger variety of shops than anywhere else. The saying was ¡®If you can¡¯t find it in Chrimoria, then you won¡¯t find it anywhere else¡¯. Additionally, the vast number of casinos, coliseums, theaters, and other forms of entertainment made it a desirable destination.

    It took a while to find the place Martin had mentioned. Ike¡¯s Undercroft Pub wasn¡¯t a very well-known establishment within the Undercity, neither Holden nor Sable had any idea where to start looking. Furthermore, most people within the Undercity weren¡¯t very friendly. Even when asked politely, most of them just ignored any of Holden¡¯s attempts to ask for directions.

    After aimlessly wandering around for almost an hour, Holden checked the time on his watch. It was close to midnight, and they still didn¡¯t have any leads. When it came to stolen items, the longer it took to dig up any leads, the harder it would be to find the item. After 24 hours it could¡¯ve easily exchanged multiple hands and ended up with some traveling merchant who left town. It certainly had happened several times before in Chrimoria.

    Everyone started to get tired, so they stopped and leaned against the wall of the tunnel they were in to take a break. Mathias couldn''t stop himself from yawning, causing Holden and Sable to do the same.

    The experience actually felt a little nostalgic to Holden. He had been a spy for years before becoming a private investigator, so long stakeouts throughout the night to eavesdrop on persons of interest were a common occurrence for him. ¡°This whole place is a maze. It might take us hours to find this place. We could be here asking in circles for all we know.¡±

    Mathias groaned. ¡°Why is it so hard to get directions? I tried asking someone earlier. I even offered to pay them, but their directions just led us in circles.¡±

    A woman had caught wind of their conversation while walking by. This woman was an elf with a caramel skin tone, and brown eyes, a rare sight to see among the elven races. She also wore heavy apparel, as if she were walking around in the snow. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but overhear your woes. Where exactly are you trying to go?¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°To Ike¡¯s Undercroft Pub. Do you know where that is?¡±

    Holden slapped his forehead. ¡°Kid, you can¡¯t trust anyone offering you help down here. At best, it¡¯ll come with several strings attached.¡±

    The woman gave Holden an intrigued glance. ¡°That¡¯s certainly true. He¡¯s right, kid. Nothing here comes free, except for this. We¡¯re all going to the same place. All I ask is that you stay close to me, and handle anyone who might try to cause trouble for me on the way.¡±

    Holden glared at the woman in contempt. ¡°You mean you want us to act as a distraction while you run away. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I have confidence in my fighting skills. But I don¡¯t look like a particularly strong combatant. Neither does the cat, or the kid, for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Chopped liver could never hold his own in a straight up fight,¡± Sable quipped. ¡°He has to stick to dirty tricks, and striking from the shadows.¡±

    The woman stood confidently, even more intrigued by Holden than she was before. ¡°You¡¯re certainly a perceptive one. I¡¯ll admit it, I¡¯m playing off your desperation. And I certainly don¡¯t expect you¡¯ll be able to protect me. I¡¯d run at the first sign of trouble.¡± She then titled her head and smiled at Holden. ¡°But you intrigue me. So, I promise I won¡¯t leave you behind. What do you say?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much choice,¡± Holden grunted. ¡°Fine. You better live up to your end of the bargain. Or else.¡±

    The woman batted her eyelashes. ¡°Oh, I love the bold and mysterious types. You can call me Camille, by the way. Now follow me.¡±

    Camille led the three of them toward their destination like she promised. Holden did notice a trio of men staring at Camille once the pub was in sight. However, that trio didn¡¯t do a thing when they saw Holden by Camille¡¯s side. The situation did make him wonder what their intentions were. What exactly did Camille do that would draw their attention? Although he was curious, Holden decided it was better not to ask. There was no need, or desire within Holden to get involved in this woman¡¯s problems.

    Ike¡¯s Undercroft Pub was a little tavern built into what little remained of an abandoned tunnel that had collapsed. Rubble prevented anyone from going very far into the tunnel, so the owner, Ike, made a wooden wall in the entryway into the tunnel, and converted the rest into a pub.

    The floors were made of wooden planks, and the tables were shabby. Several dilapidated shacks were located in the back that served as staff housing.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Sable said. ¡°This place is a dump. Is anything here even safe to drink?¡±

    A man with bright brown hair and tan skin was serving drinks behind the bar. The man wore tattered formal attire, along with a pair of fingerless gloves, and a bandana around his head.

    Camille walked right up to the man as if he were someone she knew. ¡°Hey, Ike. I brought a few friends to talk to you.¡±

    Ike looked over Holden, Sable, and Mathias. His expression was neutral, and he started cleaning dirty glasses as he spoke. ¡°What is it you lot want?¡±

    Holden stepped forward to speak. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a beastfolk woman named Scallia. Martin referred us to her.¡±

    Ike gestured toward one of the tables and shouted. ¡°Hey Scallia. There are some people who want to talk to you. They said Martin sent them.¡±

    A woman with fair skin and dark hair got up from the table. She had a pair of black feathered wings protruding from her back. The irises of her eyes were black as well, and there was something about her that gave Sable the chills.

    Sable shook the moment he saw the woman. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m being stared at by a bird of prey.¡±

    Holden focused on the woman¡¯s wings and feathers in an attempt to figure out what kind of beastfolk she was. She was obviously a bird beastfolk, but Holden didn¡¯t know what type of bird her features resembled. Black feathers could belong to ravens, hawks, crows, or many other types of birds. Likely, Sable could unconsciously sense that her bird features belonged to a bird of prey, which was why he felt on edge around her. Cats and cait-sith alike were often hunted by birds of prey after all.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Scallia,¡± the woman said in an apathetic tone of voice. ¡°What is it that Martin wants?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not something that Martin wants,¡± Holden said. ¡°It¡¯s actually something that we want. We¡¯re looking for a sword. One that has been seen floating around town. We assume that maybe someone or something that can turn invisible stole it. It¡¯s possible they might have fenced it. Would you know anything about that?¡±

    Scallia clocked her tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll give you this tip for free, since I don¡¯t really want to be bothered right now. I haven¡¯t heard of any floating swords. Now beat it.¡±

    ¡°What about a thieving goblin who''s been wandering around the sewers?¡±

    Scallia stared at the ground while she thought about Holden¡¯s question. ¡°Hmm, I do know something about that. But you¡¯ll have to do me a favor.¡±

    Holden rolled his eyes. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°That goblin¡¯s a slippery little thing. He was able to steal something from me right underneath my nose. All I want you to do is get him to give up something he stole from me. It¡¯s a bracelet that holds some value. You bring that back to me, and we¡¯ll call it square.¡±

    ¡°I think we can do that.¡±

    ¡°You better. Otherwise, I¡¯ll send Ike after you. That guy might be human, but his strength makes him more of a beast than any of the beastfolk around here.¡±

    Holden glanced over at Ike and noticed his rippling muscles under his sleeves. The guy looked like a fighter, too. Holden assumed Ike was a skilled brawler based off his physique and demeanor, which would be one of the last people he¡¯d want to go up against in a head-to-head fight.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Holden then listened patiently to every piece of information Scallia provided about the goblin.

    Goblins were by no means rare creatures. However, goblins living in the cities were. If everything the disheveled man had said earlier was true about a goblin trying to nab Mathias¡¯s sword after it floated away, then the goblin Scallia was talking about was most likely the same goblin.

    Once Scallia told Holden everything she knew, he started leaving the pub with Sable and Mathias, only to pause right before the door when a familiar fox girl entered through it.

    Holden recognized the girl from a little over a week ago, because he had accidentally bumped into her in the middle of the street.

    The girl frowned at Holden when she saw him, then brushed by him and made a beeline to Scallia. Holden wasn¡¯t able to hear what they were talking about, but he noticed the fox girl slip Scallia a silver watch. Scallia then slipped a couple of silver coins into the girl¡¯s hands before sending her away.

    Sable walked between Holden¡¯s legs to get his attention. ¡°Do you know that girl?¡±

    Holden regained his focus, then shut the pub door behind him while answering Sable¡¯s question. ¡°I bumped into her a couple times now. For some reason, she¡¯s scowled at me both times.¡±

    ¡°Maybe your face just scares little girls. You should try smiling more.¡± Sable then tilted his head. ¡°Wait. Forget that. If a weird looking guy like you starts smiling at little girls, people will start to think you¡¯re a pervert.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shut it, Cat.¡±

    ¡°Chopped Liver,¡± Sable retorted, causing the two of them to bicker once again as they got further away from the pub.

 The Case with the Missing Sword Part 4

    ¡°Not this stench again,¡± Sable said, shaking his head, trying not to breath in through his nose as the group wandered the sewers once more.

    According to Scallia¡¯s intel, the goblin they were looking for frequented the sewers running beneath the west side of Chrimoria, so Holden, Sable, and Mathias wasted no time trying to find this goblin.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to the stench,¡± Holden said, having made several trips through sewers during his time as a spy. As disgusting as they might have been, sewers were one of the best places to go to make a quick getaway. There were lots of long tunnels, plenty of intersections and turns that could easily confuse most people, and they typically ran throughout the entire city, which meant one could use the sewers to get almost anywhere.

    Sable¡¯s face contorted with disgust when he realized how accustomed Holden seemed to this place. ¡°You¡¯re sickening. Absolutely sickening. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d think you¡¯re part sewer rat.¡±

    ¡°I have to go with Sable on this one,¡± Mathias admitted. ¡°This is kind of gross. The fact that you seem so comfortable is disturbing.¡±

    Holden just ignored the two of them. It wasn¡¯t like he enjoyed being in the sewers, but Holden was essentially nose-blind to many of the stenches found within them. They¡¯d likely be spending a few hours down here, so Holden was thankful for this advantage. Meanwhile, Sable and Mathias had to stop a couple of times when the stench got really bad, because they thought they were going to vomit.

    Around the second hour of exploration, Holden heard the faint sound of footsteps echoing throughout the sewers. He gestured for Sable and Mathias to stop, then put his ear to the ground.

    It was hard to identify which direction the footsteps were coming from, but they were getting louder, suggesting that whoever was making that sound was getting closer.

    Soon after, the trio saw a small, green creature with long, pointy ears, and a long, pointy nose rounding the corner of an intersection just a head of them. This creature was a goblin, and judging by the wide-eyed expression it had on its face the moment it spotted them; the goblin hadn¡¯t expected to encounter anyone.

    The moment Holden tried opening his mouth to ask a question, the goblin bolted off around the corner. Holden and the others ran after it, sprinting as fast as they could. Sable wasn¡¯t able to keep up with Holden and Mathias¡¯s significantly longer strides, so the cait-sith had to resort to continuously using minor teleport as it ran to keep up.

    After about a minute of running, Sable gave up on that strategy. Instead, he decided to teleport onto Holden¡¯s shoulders. Sable had his back legs on Holden¡¯s shoulders, while his front legs were firmly planted on Holden¡¯s head.

    ¡°Get off me, Cat,¡± Holden howled. ¡°I¡¯m not your carriage.¡±

    Sable stood there flicking his tail back and forth. ¡°This isn¡¯t pleasant for me either, but I can¡¯t keep up with you on foot. Now giddy-up. Go faster.¡±

    Holden growled. The anger he felt at that moment did make him run faster, though, and he was soon within a couple feet of the goblin. That was when Holden grabbed Sable off his head, tossed him, and said, ¡°Make yourself useful and catch that goblin, Cat.¡±

    Ahh! Sable screamed as he was tossed in the air. He then used minor teleport to appear on the goblins head. ¡°We just want to talk to you. Please stop running away.¡±

    The goblin tried pulling Sable off of its head, but Sable dug his claws into its skin.

    Aahhh! The goblin cried. ¡°Get off of me. Get off. That hurts.¡±

    Holden finally caught up to the goblin, grabbing its shoulders. ¡°Stop right there. We just want to talk.¡±

    ¡°You guys are awfully aggressive for people who just want to talk. Get your hands off me.¡±

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    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Holden let go of the goblin¡¯s shoulder. Sable then jumped off its head.

    The goblin rubbed its scalp from the pain caused by Sable¡¯s claws. ¡°You¡¯re all a bunch of nitwits. Now what do you want?¡±

    ¡°Sorry about that, ¡°Holden said, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for a goblin who roams the sewers. We believe they might have seen the sword we¡¯re looking for.¡±

    The goblin started fidgeting all of a sudden. ¡°Oh, a sword, huh? Yeah, I saw a sword recently.¡±

    ¡°Was it floating?¡±

    The goblin cringed at that question. ¡°Yes it was. Did that sword belong to you or something?¡±

    ¡°Actually, it belongs to me,¡± Mathias said.

    ¡°Well, when you find that sword, tell it to keep its mouth shut, would you? It¡¯s got a nasty personality for a floating hunk of junk.¡±

    ¡°What? Nasty personality? What are you talking about?¡±

    The goblin sighed. ¡°That sword of yours can talk, right? I saw it floating there and thought I¡¯d sell it for some digmata.¡±

    Sable looked up at the goblin with a curious gaze. ¡°Are you sure it was the sword that was talking? Not some invisible creature, like another goblin, or maybe a fairy. Or a pixie?¡±

    The goblin crossed its arms. ¡°I¡¯m sure it was the sword. The voice I heard was being projected right into my head. No fairy or pixie can do that.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of fairies and pixies,¡± Sable said. ¡°Have you seen any wandering around the sewers lately? Possibly with a coin-sith, too?¡±

    The goblin looked at Holden and Mathias. ¡°What¡¯s with this cat and fairies?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, foul goblin. I am not a cat. I am a cait-sith.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the rudest cait-sith I¡¯ve ever met. But if you must know, I did see a red pixie flying around here about a week ago. Don¡¯t know where she went off to. Just saw her enter through a manhole for a brief minute before leaving.¡±

    ¡°Which manhole? Which one? I¡¯ve been searching for that pixie for days now.¡±

    ¡°Not sure. I think it was a manhole leading up to an alley by some old tavern. Oh, it was the same one in the alley where I saw that sword.¡±

    Sable started prancing around in excitement. ¡°Did you hear that Holden? The pixie was here. The pixie was here. We have to track it now. We don¡¯t want to lose its trail.¡±

    Holden groaned at Sable¡¯s overly enthusiastic demeanor. ¡°Did you even listen to the goblin? The pixie was here over a week ago. That¡¯s around the same time you escaped. Not going to help us much.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. I guess this floating blade is our best lead. Let¡¯s go, foolish humans. The red pixie awaits.¡±

    Sable started running off in a random direction before realizing he had no idea where to go. He then returned to the group with droopy ears, embarrassed by his behavior. Sable than looked up at the goblin and asked, ¡°Do you happen to know where this sword went off to?¡±

    The goblin shrugged its shoulders. ¡°It said something about me not being a worthy master, then it flew off somewhere once it escaped my grasp. Sounds like a pretty stuck-up sword if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like this red pixie you¡¯re after is involved,¡± Mathias pointed out. ¡°But my sword never had the ability to talk. Could we be following a different sword?¡±

    Holden had thought the same thing the moment the goblin mentioned the sword it tried to grab spoke to it. Talking swords did exist, but they usually were the vessels for a spirit or demon. There were weapons and armor that had the soul of a person embedded in them, which somehow made them more powerful. Holden didn¡¯t know exactly how that worked, but those weapons were created using forbidden techniques that were outlawed all over the world of Thanador.

    There was one other possibility that Holden considered. ¡°Mathias, it¡¯s possible that your sword has been possessed by a spirit or demon of some sort. Have you ever come across any places with high spiritual energy?

    ¡°Uhm, I¡¯m not really sure. How would I even know? I can¡¯t use magic.¡±

    ¡°Any places that felt strangely ominous to you? Or maybe you felt like someone was watching you even though no one was there?¡±

    ¡°Oh, there was this dragon alter I slept at a few days before I arrived in Chrimoria. It seemed like a safe place, since animals avoided it for some reason.¡±

    ¡°Dragon Alters are places of worship for old religions from centuries ago,¡± Holden explained. ¡°There is tons of spiritual energy in those places. A spirit probably possessed your sword while you were sleeping, then it wandered off after you passed out in the tavern.¡±

    Within the world of Thanador, there were spirits that had no sense of self. These spirits would wander aimlessly looking for things to possess. Sometimes they were inanimate objects, other times they were dead bodies. Once they possessed something, the spirit would take on the identity of whatever it was that it possessed. If it was a corpse that was possessed, the spirit would have all of the memories of the person, or creature from when it was alive. As for objects, the spirit would gain a sense of awareness, be able to sense everything happening around it, and had the capability to telepathically communicate. It would also slowly develop a personality over time.

    ¡°But why would it leave me just like that?¡± Mathias asked.

    Holden shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Who knows. It sounds like it wants a worthy wielder. If that¡¯s the case, I think I might know where it might¡¯ve wandered off to.¡±

    Holden than thanked the goblin for its assistance, and handed it a couple copper coins for the trouble. Holden than led the trio back to the Undercity with a particular destination in mind.

 The Case with the Missing Sword Part 5

    Within the Undercity of Chrimoria, there was a large, open space beneath an abandoned building on the south side of Chrimoria which had become a location for underground fighting. Fists fight, unsanctioned sword tournaments, and magic battles were all held in this space, which was aptly named the Undercity Arena. Skilled fighters in Chrimoria looking to make some extra digmata would flock to this place to fight. They would each put an entry fee into a pot, and the winner of the entire tournament would receive every digmata inside. Even if the money wasn¡¯t what one was after, it was a good venue for fighters to test their skills. There was also a betting ring for spectators, which had only increased the arena¡¯s popularity.

    Holden knew the location of the Undercity Arena because he had a few cases that led him there. The crowds that gathered also made it a good place for pickpockets to steal a few purses. Holden couldn¡¯t emphasize to Mathias enough how important it was to stay close to him and Sable.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Mathias said, rolling his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve traveled the world on my own for weeks now. I¡¯m not ignorant to the dangers of the world.¡±

    ¡°Yet you still have this country bumpkin look about you.¡± Holden pointed out.

    ¡°And let¡¯s not forget the reason we¡¯re here is because you couldn¡¯t keep your hands on your sword,¡± Sable added.

    ¡°Alright. Point taken.¡± Mathias surrendered and started scanning the arena for any signs of his sword. The sword itself would stand out because of its quality, and the artistry of its hilt. It was made for the Balester family generations prior. It was a magic sword too, which meant it was both powerful and valuable.

    In a den of thieves, like the Undercity, a sword like that would¡¯ve been highly sought after. Anyone carrying it around would¡¯ve drawn a lot of attention to themselves. Holden was aware of this fact, so he kept his eye open for anyone who might¡¯ve been drawing a crowd, especially over in the corner of the arena where the sword tournaments took place.

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    Calling the Undercity Arena an arena was actually a misnomer, because it was just a wide-open space without any stands, stages, or walls to separate the different fighting spaces. There were just spaces that those who came here all knew were reserved for different types of fights.

    Holden and the others shoved their way through the crowd until they arrived at the designated area for the sword tournament. This ¡®designated area¡¯ was simple a thirty-by-thirty magic barrier created by a mage to prevent the audience from getting too close to the fight.

    There were around a dozen fighters waiting for their turns, along with several losers who had stayed to watch the tournament. Holden shoved his way through the crowd until he could get a good look at all of their swords. Unfortunately, none of them were the sword Holden was looking for ¡°I¡¯m afraid none of these people have your sword, kid. Might be time we call it quits. Can¡¯t think of anywhere else where it might be.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave yet,¡± Mathias insisted. ¡°You said it yourself, if my sword is looking for a worthy wielder, this is the best place for it to find one.¡±

    Holden just shrugged his shoulders and decided to stay. Regardless of whether or not Mathias¡¯s sword showed up, Holden would at least be able to enjoy a good show. ¡°Fine, kid. I like watching sword competitions anyway.¡±

    Sable jumped onto Holden¡¯s shoulders so he could see the fights. The two of them watched with vague interest for a couple of fights until the mage who was maintaining the barrier stepped into the middle of the fighting ring after one of the fights ended. This mage was carrying something wrapped up in a cloak, and raised his voice as high as he could to get the crowds attention. ¡°Listen up. We¡¯re going to have a special reward for tonight¡¯s tournament.¡± The mage than removed the cloak and raised a sword up in the air, but it wasn¡¯t just any sword; it was Mathias¡¯s sword. ¡°here will be a higher entry fee for this tournament. Triple the usual digmata. But whomever wins the tournament shall also win this magic sword.¡±

    The crowd erupted in applause. Word quickly spread throughout the rest of the arena, and people started swarming the sword tournament. More competitors signed up, greater numbers of bets were placed, and there were even those who usually would only come to watch who decided to participate on the off chance that they might be victorious and acquire the grand prize.

 The Case with the Missing Sword Part 6

    ¡°What!?¡± Mathias shouted when he saw his sword being offered as a prize. ¡°That¡¯s my sword. Hey, that¡¯s my sword.¡± His words were drowned out by the cheers of the crowd

    Mathias tried shoving his way toward the mage, but Holden quickly grabbed his arm to stop him. ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool, kid. If you try claiming that¡¯s your sword, they¡¯ll just ignore you. Worst comes to worst, they might just tear you apart.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s-.¡±

    ¡°I know. But this is the Undercity. There are no laws down here, no guards, and no one to stop all of these degenerates from making your head roll. If you want that sword, you¡¯re going to have to win it fair and square.¡±

    ¡°Fair and square in some underground tournament? I never thought I¡¯d hear those words.¡±

    ¡°Better find yourself a sword to use, kid. You won¡¯t be able to enter the tournament without one.¡±

    ¡°Where could I possibly get a sword at this moment?¡±

    Holden looked around for a moment until he spotted a scrawny looking man wearing black leather armor and a hood. The man appeared to be a thief, given that Holden just saw him lift a coin purse off of an unsuspecting woman.

    Sable was still standing on Holden¡¯s head, and was watching the man as well, curious to see what Holden planned on doing.

    Holden gestured for Mathias to follow him. He then made his way through the crowd to the man. Holden yanked the man¡¯s sword from his belt with one hand, while punching the guy across the cheek with the other. ¡°My friend will be borrowing this.¡± Holden also grabbed the coin purse the man had stolen and handed its owner, a blonde-haired elf woman, as he walked by her.

    ¡°Hey, wait,¡± the woman then realized that her purse was missing. ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± she shouted, hoping Holden would be able to hear her. ¡°That man is awful generous for someone in the Undercity.¡±

    Holden and Mathias then got in line with the other participants who were waiting to join the tournament. Holden than shoved the sword into Mathia¡¯s hand. ¡°Alright, kid. Use this. Win the tournament, and you¡¯ll get your sword back.¡±

    Mathias tried to return the sword to Holden. ¡°But this sword is stolen.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, from a thief who probably stole it, too. He might¡¯ve even taken it off a dead body for all we know. Don¡¯t complain. And if he asks for it back, don¡¯t be a pushover.¡±

    After waiting in line, Mathias paid the entry fee to enter the tournament and was brought right out into the middle of the fighting ring. His opponent was an elven man who wielded a rapier. There was no bell or announcer to signal the start of the fight, nor was there anyone to explain the rules. The elf just charged at Mathias the moment he entered the ring.

    Mathias barely managed to parry the strike, but he lost his balance in the process. The elf took advantage of this to land a hit on him, piercing Mathias right through the shoulder.

    Ah! Mathias yelled in pain. ¡°I yield. I yield.¡±

    The elf just grinned before taking a few steps back, not taking his eyes off Mathias the entire time until Mathias made his way back to the crowd. The elf than joined the line where all of the other fighters who won the first round were standing.

    ¡°Well, that fight ended quickly,¡± holden said when Mathias returned to them.

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to see why the sword wanted to find another master.¡± Holden added.

    Mathias sighed. ¡°I know, I know. I suck. I¡¯m an embarrassment to my family because of my terrible sword fighting skill. Now I¡¯ll be an even greater embarrassment after losing my family¡¯s sword.¡±

    Holden grinder his teeth in anger at Mathias¡¯s words. ¡°Mathias, did your family call you an embarrassment?

    Mathias was surprised, because this was both the first time Holden had used his name, and the first time Holden had shown any emotion in front of him. The anger Mathias saw in Holden¡¯s eyes frightened him. ¡°Uhm, we¡¯ll, yes. That¡¯s why I left home. I¡¯m the only son, so there¡¯s no one else to inherit my father¡¯s title. But my skills as a knight are lacking. He¡¯s hoping this journey will help me improve.¡±

    ¡°Going to see the world, getting caught up in all kinds of trouble, maybe having some adventures. Makes sense.¡± Holden then sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll get your sword back. Don¡¯t you worry about it. Just make sure you don¡¯t lose it again.¡±

    Holden placed Sable on the ground, and took the sword from Mathias. After paying the entry fee for the tournament, he was quickly brought out to the fighting ring where a dwarven warrior was waiting.

    Sable climbed onto Mathias¡¯s shoulders. Despite having been around Holden for a full week, the two of them didn''t know much about each other. They mostly just bickered rather than talk. During that full week, the only emotions Sable saw from Holden were annoyance, and boredom. Seeing his angry side was a new experience. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s got him so on edge?¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t know?¡± Mathias said. ¡°I would¡¯ve thought by the way you two bickered that you were secretly really close.¡±

    ¡°What!? He and I practically hate each other. I wouldn¡¯t know anything about him. Frankly, he hasn¡¯t mentioned anything else about his past, aside from being a spy, which I already knew before we started working together.¡±

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    ¡°Wait, you said he¡¯s a spy. For who? Chrimoria?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I have to admit that he is more knowledgeable than I give him credit for. Never seen his skill with a sword, though.¡±

    ¡°Have you seen him fight at all?¡±

    ¡°Only once after I had been kidnapped by some people who were involved in the fairy trafficking ring. Holden is an expert at stealth and knife fighting. He says he¡¯s no match for a real warrior in a head-to-head fight. So, then why does he seem so convinced he¡¯ll win?¡±

    Meanwhile, Holden stared directly into his opponent¡¯s eyes. After unsheathing the sword and tossing the sheath aside, Holden took on a defensive stance, waiting for the dwarven warrior to make the first move.

    The dwarf growled after realizing Hilden had no intention of striking first. ¡°So, what are you just going to stand there all day? Fine then, I¡¯ll go first.¡± The dwarf thrust his sword forward, while taking a step closer to Holden.

    Holden parried the thrust, then kicked the dwarf in the side. The surprise kick caused the dwarf to stumble, giving Holden the opportunity to sweep his feet. The dwarf fell backwards, then Holden drove his sword straight toward the dwarf¡¯s neck, stopping right before breaking skin.

    ¡°I concede,¡± the dwarf said, dropping his sword and putting his hands up.

    Holden went to join the other first-round winners, and the first round of the tournament continued from there. The next time it was Holden¡¯s turn to fight, the opponent he faced was a human from the trio of men who had been eyeing Camille before entering Ike¡¯s Undercroft Pub.

    The man laughed after recognizing Holden. ¡°Well, lookie here. You¡¯re one of those reprobates that was with Miss Camille. Your presence really made things difficult for me and my boys. Oh well. I can use this opportunity to get rid of you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what your business is with Camille. She and I are hardly acquainted. She just asked for my protection in exchange for some information.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll. Still sucks to be you. I¡¯m going kill you either way.¡± The man opened the fight with a horizontal slash, only to be blocked. Holden then kicked the man in the shin.

    Agh! The man cried. Despite wearing leather boots that were thick enough to protect him from swords and other weapons, the man still felt extreme pain shoot up his shin from Holden¡¯s kick. ¡°What was that? Are you wearing steel toed boots or something?¡±

    Holden knocked the sword out of the man¡¯s arm. ¡°Pretty good guess. And you''re right. They¡¯re effective, right?¡± Holden pointed the tip of the sword at the man¡¯s head. ¡°Now concede.¡±

    Holden won the second round, then proceeded to win even more after that using a combination of swordsmanship and mixed martial arts.

    Sable watched with bated breath, enamored by the skill with which Holden defeated each opponent. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. That idiot always said he¡¯d be no match in a straight up fight against a real warrior.¡±

    Mathias gave Sable a knowing glance. ¡°He might not have been lying. I¡¯m no expert fighter myself, but even I can tell that most of the swordsmen here lack much formal training. Real training doesn¡¯t just involve fighting with a weapon; it also involves using your body, and magic, if it¡¯s available. Everyone Holden¡¯s fought so far are just a bunch of untrained thugs with a modicum of talent.¡±

    ¡°What does that say about you then? You lost in the first round.¡±

    ¡°That elf actually knows how to fight,¡± Mathias grumbled. ¡°He¡¯ll likely end up being the winner of this whole tournament. I doubt Holden will actually be able to beat him.¡±

    ¡°You know an awful lot about swordplay for someone who sucks at it.¡±

    ¡°Now I see why you and Holden are always bickering. You¡¯re just a pompous jerk.¡±

    Mathias and Sable continued to mock each other while Holden continued winning round after round until he found himself in the final round against the very elf who defeated Mathias in the first round.

    Like Mathias had said. Most of the swordsmen in this tournament were untrained, or just had average skill. Although there were plenty of skilled fighters who came to the Undercity Arena to prove their metal, most didn¡¯t stay long, since it was hard to find someone who could challenge them. Furthermore, when skilled fighters did show up in Chrimoria, they were usually recruited into the city guard, or hired by traveling merchants to protect their caravan, leaving the arena with very few truly talented warriors at any given time. Holden was just lucky that the elf who stood before him was the only skilled swordsman present.

    When Holden and the elf both walked into the fighting ring, the two of them didn¡¯t even say a word to one another before making the first move. The two of them both lunged at each other at the same time. The elf would strike with his rapier, Holden would block it, then go for a kick, only for the elf to respond by dodging and striking back with a kick of his own.

    The entire crowd gasped when the saw the elf using his entire body to fight, rather than just his sword. It was the same method of fighting. Holden had used, suggesting this elf really was a skilled fighter who knew what he was doing.

    It was obvious to everyone watching Holden and the elf fight that the two of them knew what they were doing.

    The excitement in the room continued to grow as the fight dragged on. It looked like a combination of a sword fight and a mixed martial arts match between Holden and the elf. The fight went on long enough that both sides had to stop to take a breather.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re a real warrior,¡± Holden said between heavy breaths. ¡°There¡¯s something familiar about you, too. Have we met somewhere?¡±

    The elf ignored Holden¡¯s words, and thrust his sword forward. Holden parried, then continued clashing with a series of locks, punches, and slashes from their blades. All the while, Holden analyzed the elf¡¯s posture and fighting style.

    For the next clash, Holden decided to make the first move. He put all the force he could into a single stroke, and the elf blocked it. Both their blades were locked against one another, neither able to overpower the other. However, now that they were close, Holden was finally able to speak to the elf without anyone else hearing. ¡°Hey, you might be able to hide your appearance and your mannerisms, but you can¡¯t hide your fighting style.¡± The elf¡¯s eyes popped after Holden¡¯s next words. ¡°Hi, Alwin. I know that¡¯s you using a disguise spell.¡±

    The elf growled at him. ¡°Screw you, Holden.¡±

    Alwin was an inspector for the Chrimoria Police Department. He and Holden had been acquainted with one another for quite some time, and Holden somehow knew far too many of Alwin¡¯s secrets, including the fact that he would disguise himself with magic and fight in the Undercity Arena using various identities to make some extra digmata.

    It might have been underhanded, but Holden had no problem using this information to his advantage. ¡°Alwin, take a knee this time. I¡¯m claiming this sword for a job. I doubt you¡¯d want it anyway. The sword¡¯s possessed.¡±

    Alwin grumbled. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t use this disguise anymore. Fine. A possessed sword is more trouble than it¡¯s worth anyway. You better share some of your winnings with me from this, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word, Alwin,¡± Holden said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you thirty percent.¡±

    ¡°Fine. It¡¯s a deal.¡± Alwin then acted as if he were being overpowered by Holden, before intentionally loosening his grip on his rapier so Holden could knock it out of his hands. Alwin wasted no time conceding after that, but not before telling Holden he¡¯d be waiting at Holden¡¯s office for his cut.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Alwin. I¡¯m a man of my word. Plus, I won¡¯t be telling anyone why you come down here for these tournaments.¡±

    Alwin just grunted before walking away from the ring. Meanwhile, Holden eagerly looked forward to finally finishing this job.

 The Case with the Missing Sword Part 7

    The crowd erupted in applause at the end of the match before dispersing. Meanwhile, Matias and Sable stood there stunned by Holden¡¯s victory. Sable might not have been able to tell, but Mathias knew that the elf was a much better swordsman than Holden. Of course it didn¡¯t really matter to Mathias how it happened, he was just glad that Holden won him his sword back.

    Holden went over to the mage who maintained the barrier around the fighting ring to claim his reward, which included both Mathias¡¯s sword, and a fair bit of digmata that would make up for the lack of jobs Holden had had the past week.

    ¡°I wonder, where in Thanador did you find such an exquisite sword?¡± Holden asked the mage as he received the sword.

    ¡°Oh, I just stumbled upon it in the west side of town. I¡¯m no good with swords, though, so I thought I¡¯d offer it up as a prize for tonight¡¯s tournament.

    Holden knew right away that the mage was lying, or at least stretching the truth. The mage probably knew the sword was possessed, and didn¡¯t want to con a pawn dealer or fence. Doing so would bring him a lot of trouble. However, Holden had to admit, offering it up as a reward for the sword tournament was a pretty good scheme. The mage took a portion of all the entry fees, and a magic sword as a reward drew a large number of participants.

    ¡°Well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter where you got it,¡± Holden said, eagerly receiving the sword from the mages. ¡°Thanks for a spirit possessed weapon. I¡¯ll make sure it ends up on good hands.¡±

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    The mage¡¯s jaw dropped as Holden walked away from him.

    The moment Holden held the sword in his hands, Holden was able to hear the sword speaking directly into his head.

    ¡°Oh, thank goodness I¡¯ve finally found a wielder worthy of my greatness, the sword said. ¡°I swear my last wielder was an incompetent baboon. I swear drunken monkeys are better sword fighters than him.¡±

    Holden nodded along with everything the sword said, until he finally returned to Sable and Mathias at which time Holden placed the sword in Mathias¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Oh, wait? What?¡± The sword said in confusion. ¡°No. Not this guy again. Why would you give me to him? This kid is hardly worthy of such an exquisite sword.¡±

    Holden was incapable of hearing what the sword was saying once he was no longer touching it. Meanwhile, Mathias just decided to ignore everything it was saying.

    With the sword firmly clutched in his hands, Mathias bowed to Holden to show his gratitude. ¡®Thank you for all of your help. Because of you, my family¡¯s sword is back in my hands.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be letting go of that sword now,¡± Holden reminded him as Sable jumped onto his shoulders. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to have to chase it through the Undercity.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be careful. Now about your payment.¡±

    Holden gestured for Mathias to stop talking. ¡°Keep it for now. Go to the Mages Union on the east side of town and hire a mage to remove that spirit for you. I won enough digmata to hold myself over for a bit.¡±

    Mathias had an uneasy look on his face. ¡°Are you sure? I have the money. I may have to just barely scrape by for a while, but I can afford it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I trust you, kid. Pay me back when you can, or you can repay me a bit at a time. Better hurry off to the Mages Union now. I think that sword of yours might be trying to get away.¡±

    Mathias noticed his sword shaking in his hands, and could hear it screaming in his head, demanding to be let free. Mathias thanked Holden once again before running off to the Mages Union.

 The Case with the Missing Sword Epilogue

    Now that the job was finally done, Holden and Sable sauntered back to Holden¡¯s office, where Alwin, who was still in disguise, was waiting for Holden so he could take his cut. Holden counted out thirty percent of the coins he had received for winning the tournament, then headed inside his office, locking the door behind him without even wishing Alwin goodnight.

    There was an apartment built right above the office, which Holden lived in. Both he and Sable climbed up the stairs and collapsed on the bed once they got back.

    Sable yawned the moment he hit the bed. ¡°That day, or I guess technically night, was a real pain. Let¡¯s never take on a job that keeps us up this late again.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re complaining about,¡± Holden said. ¡°I¡¯m the one who did all the fighting.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I guess so. I¡¯m still exhausted, nonetheless.¡± Sable than paused for a moment as he recalled the look of anger on Holden¡¯s face right before entering the tournament. ¡°Say, Chopped Liver. Why were you so angry during that tournament anyway? Did the kid¡¯s story have something to do with it?¡±

    Holden recalled Mathias mentioning how his family deemed him an embarrassment and sighed. ¡°I just can¡¯t imagine ever calling someone from my own family an embarrassment. Hearing that just didn¡¯t sit right with me.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Sable asked, his ears perking up with anticipation.

    ¡°I was an orphan. Didn¡¯t have any family. I was taken away from the orphanage when I was six and trained to be a spy. Never had the chance to develop many close friendship, nor do I even know who my family was.¡±

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    ¡°What do you mean ¡®was¡¯?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re dead. That¡¯s all I know. Even that could just be a lie, though.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why you were angry.¡± Sable lowered his ears and looked at Holden. He wasn¡¯t able to see Holden¡¯s face, but Sable imagined he would¡¯ve seen nothing but anguish on it if he could. ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sable mumbled too quietly for Holden to hear.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Holden asked.

    ¡°Oh, it was nothing. Just calling you a stupid human, Chopped Liver.¡±

    Holden just sighed. ¡°Oh, shut up, you stupid cat.¡±

    ***

    The following morning, Mathias went to the Mages Union where he hired a mage to remove the identity spirit that had possessed his sword. The mage extracted the spirit without any problems, and trapped it inside of a magical stone used for sealing spirits.

    ¡°Here you go,¡± the mage said. ¡°The spirit is gone. Be careful not to let it happen again, kid.¡±

    Mathias bowed to show his gratitude, then led the Mages Union office.

    Meanwhile, the mage pocketed the stone with the trapped spirit, and left for an undisclosed location in the Undercity. This location was a massive underground storehouse filled with various crates containing magic materials of all kinds. Fairy dust, unicorn horns, and more were stored here.

    An elf in blue robes that signified him as an official in the Mages Union was waiting there for the mage while overlooking the operations within the storehouse.

    ¡°What is it you want?¡± The elf asked. ¡°This better be something good.¡±

    The mage smirked while showing the stone he had trapped the identity spirit in. ¡°I¡¯m here to see if this might interest you. It¡¯s an identity spirit that possessed a sword. Its essence might be useful to you, right?¡±

    The elf smirked. ¡°We certainly have a lot of different materials. Fairy dust has been in shorter supply ever since one of our operations was discovered by that troublesome PI. Spiritual essence will certainly help make up for the loss in profits.¡±

    The mage nodded his head. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t promise more spirit essence. But I¡¯ll bring you anything else I come across that might be worth something.¡±

    ¡°Very well. We appreciate your patronage.¡± The elf paid the mage for his service, then turned to overlook the storehouse once again. ¡°There are a few pests trying to put an end to our operations. But they¡¯ll never uncover how deep this all goes.¡±

 The Case with the Ghost Girl Part 1

    A couple days after finding Mathias¡¯s missing sword, Holden and Sable crashed on the bed in Holden¡¯s apartment located behind his office. Holden was sound asleep. Meanwhile, Sable was lying on the foot of the bed. The cait-sith had had been restless all night. In fact, Sable had felt restless every night ever since he started living with Holden.

    Sable couldn¡¯t explain this restlessness. Was it anxiety from not finding any signs of the red pixie, or any of the other fey he had been held captive with? That certainly weighed on his mind, but didn¡¯t feel like that was the reason he couldn¡¯t sleep.

    Sable got up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. There was no way he could use a toilet, and cait-sith were too proud to use a litter box like common cats. Holden usually left the bathroom window open so Sable could use it to go outside. However, that night Sable found the window closed.

    ¡°That dolt,¡± Sable grumbled. ¡°He probably closed it by mistake. Idiot.¡±

    Sable jumped onto the bed and started pawing at Holden¡¯s face. ¡°Hey, chopped liver. I need to use the restroom.¡±

    Holden groaned as he rolled over, eyes still closed, to face Sable. ¡°Use the window.¡±

    ¡°You closed it, you fool.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just teleport through it?¡±

    ¡°No. I can¡¯t teleport to the other side of open barriers.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Holden groggily got out of bed, opened the window, then fell right back asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

    ¡°Hoe can someone fall asleep so quickly?¡± Sable wondered aloud. ¡°Honesty, is it some kind of magic, or special ability? What I wouldn¡¯t give to not have to toss and turn all night.¡±

    Sable then teleported up to the window, then down to the ground in the street by the apartment. It took him a few minutes to find a place to relieve his bladder and return. Sable was about to curl up in a ball at the foot of the bed again when he heard a faint whisper.

    ¡°I need you.¡±

    Bwah! Sable screamed so loudly that it woke Holden up.

    After being startled awake by Sable¡¯s scream, Holden immediately grabbed the dagger he kept beneath his pillow and started looking around in every direction. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s there.? Where¡¯s the intruder?¡±

    Holden saw Sable curled up in a ball shaking with his fur standing up. ¡°Cat, what are you doing?¡±

    Sable¡¯s voice was stuttering from fear. ¡°I heard a voice. There was a voice. Someone is in here.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t just hear someone from outside? There are probably still people wandering the streets.¡±

    ¡°No. It sounded like it came from inside the apartment.¡±

    Holden shook his head, then grabbed another dagger off of the end table next to his bed. The two of them started making their way around the apartment with Sable staying behind Holden the entire time, still shaking with fear. There were no signs of anyone else being in the apartment, or breaking in. All the doors were closed and locked, and every window was closed, aside from the one in the bathroom, which was too small for anything larger than an ordinary house cat to fit through.

    ¡°See Sable, you¡¯re just hearing things,¡± Holden said as the two of them made their way back to the bedroom.

    ¡°Well, how are you sure it¡¯s not something we can¡¯t see, like a fairy, or a ghost? Or maybe, it¡¯s the red pixie.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with you and the red pixie thing? I swear, you blame everything on the red pixie.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t blame everything on the red pixie,¡± Sable insisted. ¡°Just all the weird stuff, like that disappearing sword from a few days ago, and that strange voice I just heard.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called hyperbole, cat. Look it up in the dictionary.¡± Holden than flopped on the bed, and once again fell asleep right away.

    Sable contorted his face in both bewilderment, and mild irritation. ¡°How does he do that?¡± He tried going to sleep again, only to hear the same faint voice, but much louder this time.

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    ¡°Please, help me.¡±

    Reow! Sable let out a cat-like scream while jumping up into the air with his claws out. He ended up landing right on Holden¡¯s chest and accidentally digging his claws in Holden¡¯s skin.

    ¡°Ouch! You stupid cat!¡± Holden shouted in pain. ¡°What is it now?¡±

    ¡°I heard it again. Something¡¯s here I tell you. Something is here.¡±

    ¡°Are you going start talking about the red pixie again?¡±

    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t the red pixie. I could barely hear the voice the first time. But this time I heard it clearly. It definitely wasn¡¯t her voice. But it was some other woman¡¯s voice.¡±

    Holden was about to go back to sleep when Sable jumped on his face. ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t go back to bed. It could be a ghost. I can¡¯t deal with ghosts.¡±

    ¡°Cat, you¡¯re digging your claws into my face.¡±

    Sable dropped to the bed, meekly looking at Holden. ¡°Sorry. Please don¡¯t go to bed. There¡¯s a ghost here. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    Holden rolled his eyes. ¡°Ghosts don¡¯t actually exist. What you call ghosts are just magic that has absorbed the lingering regrets of a dying person. It¡¯s a psychic impression of them made by magic, not the soul of an actual person.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what they are; they¡¯re still scary.¡±

    Holden groaned in frustration while Sable continued shaking on the bed. The two of them stayed up together for several more minutes waiting for the voice. However, the entire apartment was silent. It was during that time that Holden recalled something the realtor had said when he was first looking at this place. ¡°You know, you¡¯re right. There actually is a ghost here.¡±

    Sable¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°There is?¡¯

    ¡°Yeah. The realtor who sold me this place said they had a lot of trouble selling it because of rumors that it was haunted. They¡¯re just psychic impressions, though, so I don¡¯t really care.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but it¡¯s still-.¡±

    Right then Sable saw a blurry figure appear right behind Holden. The figure reached out toward Sable and said, ¡°Please help me. I don¡¯t know where I am.¡±

    Sable¡¯s entire body froe from fear as he eyed the blurry figure. Holden could tell that Sable was looking at something behind him, but when Holden turned around, he didn¡¯t see anything.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you now, Cat?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s behind you,¡± Sable said in a gaunt voice, still seeing the blurry figure behind Holden.

    Holden turned around, but once again saw nothing. ¡°Are you alright? Do we have to take you to the kitty doctor?¡± Holden teased.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s there. I swear. It¡¯s-.¡±

    The blurry figure suddenly started to take form. It looked like a girl in her early teens with long, black hair, fair skin, and a white nightgown. However, the girl was translucent.

    ¡°Please, I need your help,¡± the ghost girl said.

    Reow! Sable screamed like a cat once again, then hid under the bed.

    The ghost girl just passed right through the bed, and lay on her stomach right next to Sable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for scaring you, but could you please help me?¡±

    ¡°What do you want, ghost? Please don¡¯t possess me, or teal my soul.¡±

    Holden rolled his eyes and dragged Sable from under the bed. ¡°Cat, who are you talking to?¡±

    The ghost girl than floated right above the bed. ¡°He can¡¯t see or hear me, but you can. Can you help me? I don¡¯t know how I got here. Or where here even is.¡±

    Sable quivered as he spoke. ¡°If I help you, will you go away?¡±

    ¡°I think so. I¡¯m not really sure. I¡¯ll try not to appear before you, or talk to you anymore at the very least.¡±

    ¡°Okay. What do you need?¡±

    Holden couldn¡¯t hear the ghost girl talking, so it just sounded like a one-sided conversation from his perspective. ¡°Sable?¡±

    ¡°Shh! The ghost girl is talking.¡±

    The ghost girl than started explaining everything she knew about her current situation. She didn¡¯t know how she died, nor how she ended up in Holden¡¯s apartment. The last thing she could recall was waking up in the bathroom as a ghost with no memories. From there, the ghost girl tried again and again to reach out to the residents of the apartment, but none of them were able to see or hear her. Even the realtor who had leased the apartment to Hoden couldn¡¯t. Occasionally people would feel a chill when she was near them. There were even those who said they felt like they were being watched when the ghost girl was looking at them. However, no matter how hard she tried no one could hear or see her, until now.

    Sable tried to stop himself from quivering while listening to the ghost girl¡¯s story. However, there was a chilling aura coming from the girl that kept him on edge. ¡°So, you just want me to figure out who you are, and what happened to you? We should be able to do that. The human and I are detectives, after all.¡±

    Holden tilted his head in confusion at Sable¡¯s statement. ¡°What are we doing now?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to help this ghost girl find out how she died.¡±

    Holden stared blankly at Sable, then jumped back into bed. ¡°I¡¯m just going to go to sleep. We can talk about your sudden onset of psychosis in the morning.¡±

    Sable jumped onto Holden¡¯s chest, this time intentionally digging his claws into his skin. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Chopped Liver. You¡¯re going to help me figure out what happened to this girl, so I¡¯ll finally be able to sleep. Otherwise, I¡¯ll continue jumping on you every time you fall asleep.¡±

    ¡°If you do that, then I start keeping the bathroom window closed at night.¡±

    Sable grumbled at Holden¡¯s threat, but desperate times called for desperate measures. There was only one other thing the cait-sith could think of to motivate Holden, but it would require him to behave like an ordinary house cat. ¡°If you do that, then I¡¯ll start peeing on random spots on the floor.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    The two of them locked eyes, waiting to see if the other would relent. However, Holden was a good judge of whether or not someone was lying. As far as he could tell, Sable was serious about his claims about peeing on the floor. ¡°Fine. I concede. Even if you wimped out about turning my floor into your own bathroom, I doubt you¡¯d let me sleep until we dealt with this. Give me a second to change into something decent. I know exactly where we should start.¡±

 The Case with the Ghost Girl Part 2

    After Holden changed into his usual getup of casual clothes with a long, brown coat, he picked up Sable, put him on his shoulders, and walked out of the apartment. The ghost girl followed the two of them, but tried to stay out of sight so she wouldn¡¯t spook Sable.

    ¡°A little warning before you pick me up would be nice,¡± Sable said, balancing on Holden¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Where exactly are we off to in such a rush?¡±

    ¡°You want to figure out how the girl haunting my apartment died, right? There¡¯s only one place we can go this late at night that might have some answers. The Grand Library.¡±

    The Grand Library was a massive library that had the largest collection of books in the known world. It was also one of Thanador¡¯s seven wonders, because the library itself had several entrances located all throughout the world. To be more specific, it was like the library was in multiple places at once. One might find and enter the library building in Chrimoria, while another might find and enter the library building somewhere else in Thanador at the same time. Despite the two purple entering the Grand Library from two separate locations, they would somehow find themselves in the same exact place.

    Nobody knew exactly how the Grand Library could actually be in multiple places at once, but it was the case. A merchant once tested to see if it really was the same building by writing a message on the outer wall of the Grand Library, then traveling to a nearby city where the Grand Library was located. To the merchant¡¯s surprise, the message he had written to himself in Chrimoria was written in the exact same place on the Grand Library¡¯s outer wall in that other town.

    The Grand Library was also open 24/7, making it the best place to go for books, public records, newspaper articles, and anything else you might find at a library.

    Chrimoria¡¯s entrance to the Grand Library was on the east side of town. There weren¡¯t any carriages on the road, so Holden had to walk for an entire hour before finally arriving. The moment he burst through the door; Holden went straight to the media section to search through newspaper articles dating as far back as Chrimoria¡¯s founding over five-hundred years ago.

    ¡°What exactly are we looking for?¡± Sable asked, as he saw the tall shelves of books before him.

    The newspaper articles available to the public weren¡¯t stored in their original form. Instead, the contents of every newspaper were copied, and placed into a book with the content from other newspapers from the same town that were released on the same day. Nobody knew exactly how the Grand Library was able to produce these books. What was even more baffling was the fact that new books with all of the content of the newspaper released that day would appear in the Grand Library right as the day ended.

    Holden continued skimming through the table of contents of several books while explaining to Sable what he was doing. ¡°I¡¯m looking for any articles from before I moved into the apartment about a girl being found dead inside of it. Reports about disappearances might word too. It¡¯s possible she went missing and was presumed dead.¡±

    Sable¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°And how long is that going to take?¡±

    ¡°A very long time.¡±

    Holden had lived in his current apartment and worked as a private investigator for over three years. Furthermore, the realtor had told him that the apartment had been leased to several people for ten years prior to him. However, the haunting wasn¡¯t reported until about two years before Holden moved in, which meant he should start looking at the newspaper articles from around that time, then go backwards from there.

    As expected, it was a long and arduous process for Holden to search through all of those books on his own. Sometime during his search, Holden looked at Sable, who was just lying on the floor, and sighed. ¡°Now would be a nice time for you to grow opposable thumbs, Cat.¡±

    Sable stuck his chin up. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, Chopped Liver. I¡¯m just a cat after all.¡±

    Holden clicked his tongue. ¡°I love how you only refer to yourself as a mere cat when it gets you out of doing any work.¡±

    ¡°Fine. If it¡¯ll make you happy, I could try asking the staff if they know anything.¡±

    ¡°That would be nice,¡± Holden said mockingly while contouring to search through the books of newspaper articles.

    Sable made his way to the reception area of the library by the front door where an elf woman was sitting behind a desk reading a book. There weren¡¯t very many visitors, so the woman didn¡¯t have much to do other than kill time reading one of the countless number of books in the library.

    Sable teleported to the top of the desk so the woman could see him. ¡°Excuse me, Miss.¡±

    The woman looked over with pursed lips, irritated that she was being interrupted. Then she realized that she was talking to a cait-sith, and her face brightened up. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, little kitty. What can I do for you?¡±

    Sable barely kept himself from scowling at the ¡®little kitty¡¯ nickname when he responded. ¡°I could actually use your help. For obvious reasons, I can¡¯t really search through the stacks myself. I¡¯m looking for information on a girl who disappeared over five years ago in this town. It¡¯s possible she may have been murdered, too. Could you help me.¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    The woman¡¯s eyes sparkled as she gently pet Sable¡¯s head. ¡°Oh, I¡¯d be happy to help you. What town are you in exactly?¡±

    Sable tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯re obviously in-. Oh. Sorry. I forgot there are entrances to this library from all around the world. I came here through the Chrimoria entrance.¡±

    Oh, perfect.¡± The woman then picked up Sable and held him over her shoulder while petting his back. ¡°I can help you about. But you can¡¯t tell anyone about what I¡¯m about to show you. Okay? It¡¯s supposed to be a secret known only to the employees here.¡±

    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t tell a soul.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± The woman held on to Sable tightly while walking to the back of the library. The Grand Library already looked massive from the outside. However, it was even more grandiose on the inside, which certainly supported the theory that the real Grand Library existed in a separate dimension. How else could a building be larger on the inside then it was on the outside? In fact, the interior was so massive that Sable couldn''t even see the back wall.

    ¡°This place is truly marvelous,¡± Sable said to the woman. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it was created using magic, correct? If so, this library must have been created by an entity beyond our comprehension. There is no magic in the world that could make something like this.¡±

    The woman giggled at the look of amazement on Sable¡¯s face. ¡°Unfortunately, the methods used to create and maintain the Grant Library are secrets even I¡¯m not aware of. All I know of are a few functions that we employees have access to. I don¡¯t even know how they work.¡±

    ¡°What functions are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Let me show you.¡± The woman took another step forward, and suddenly she and Sable were at the back wall of the library.

    Sable¡¯s jaw went slack. When he turned his head to look behind him, he wasn¡¯t able to see the front anymore. ¡°How is this even possible? At first, the back wall wasn¡¯t even in sight. Now the front door isn¡¯t. Just how far did we travel? And how exactly did we travel in the first place? Was it spatial magic? I didn¡¯t feel any spatial fluctuations.¡±

    ¡°I have no clue how it works. But anytime employees want to go somewhere; we only need to take a few steps before we arrive. It¡¯s kind of like we¡¯re teleported.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can tell that¡¯s not what¡¯s happening. Do you see the blue gem on my forehead? It symbolizes that I¡¯m a cait-sith with a talent for spatial magic. I can see the spatial fluctuation that occurs during a teleportation spell.¡±

    The woman scratched Sable under the chin. ¡°I guess that¡¯s why the Grand Library is one of Thanador¡¯s seven wonders.¡±

    Sable pur¨¦ed the moment the woman started scratching his chin. However, out of embarrassment for acting like a cat, he immediately stopped himself.

    The woman opened a door to a back room that was filled with multiple wooden pedestals. She then walked up to one of them, and started speaking. ¡°I want to see all materials referencing the death of a woman from the merchant city of Chrimoria.¡±

    A book suddenly appeared on the pedestal listing the titles of various different articles, books, and other media that fit the woman¡¯s request. She asked Sable for more information regarding the girl he was looking for. Unfortunately, Sable didn¡¯t have much to go on other than what information he had received from Holden regarding what dates to start searching for missing people or notices of deaths.

    The woman tried thinking of other ways they could narrow down the search. ¡°Do you know what this girl looks like?¡±

    Sable had lost track of the girl once he and Holden left the apartment, so he had to try his best to recall everything he knew about her. The issue was that Sable was so frightened that he hardly took the time to memorize many of her distinguishing features. ¡°I know that she was a teenager. Early teens I believe. She also had long, black hair, and she likely died in my neighborhood on the west side of Chrimoria.¡±

    ¡°Do you know the address? Or the neighborhood at least?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s currently owned by a man named Holden.¡±

    ¡°Is that a last name, or a first name?¡±

    Sable hadn¡¯t realized until then, but he didn¡¯t actually know whether or not Holden was using his first name or his last. Any time they went somewhere, people would just refer to him as Holden. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. The current owner is a private investigator. His business is called the Holden Detective Agency.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Give me a second.¡± The woman then reiterated all the new information Sable had given her. The pages from the book on the pedestal suddenly started turning. When they came to a stop, there was a list of over a dozen newspaper articles from several dates that went as far back as Chrimoria¡¯s founding. There were even a few books mentioned.

    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s a long history associated with that specific apartment,¡± the woman pointed out. ¡°It must have been torn down and rebuilt several times if it goes back to the city¡¯s founding.¡±

    ¡°She could be any of these girls,¡± Sable grumbled. ¡°Do any of them have pictures of the girl the article is about?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, cameras didn¡¯t come around until twenty years ago, so only three have pictures. The others just have sketches.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll do. Where can I find all these articles?¡±

    ¡°Give me one sec.¡± The woman then tapped the title of each article with her fingers. The articles were than projected like a hologram above the pedestal. ¡°I need a physical copy of each of these articles made immediately.¡±

    The projections of each article suddenly disappeared, along with the book that had been lying on the pedestal. In its place was a single book without a title. The woman grabbed the book in her free arm, and went toward the door. ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡±

    ¡°Uhm. No. That should be all.¡±

    The woman then walked out the door, and returned to the front desk within only a few steps of leaving the back room. She than put Sable and the newly created book on the front desk.

    Sable was at a loss for words. Never in his life had he seen something so amazing. A book was produced out of thin air with every article she had found related to the criteria Sable had provided her.

    The woman opened the book to show Sable what was inside. ¡°Now this should have everything you need. There¡¯s just one thing you should know. This book will disappear if you try taking it out of the Grand Library, so you can only read it here.¡±

    ¡°That would explain what I¡¯ve heard about the Grand Library. No wonder people aren¡¯t allowed to check out all of the books in this place. They only exist in here. Don''t they?¡±

    ¡°Those pedestals are impressive, aren¡¯t they? They can produce any book with any content. Whatever they create can¡¯t leave the confines of the Grand Library. Just don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± She then let Sable¡¯s head again. ¡°Okay, Kitty Cat?¡±

    Sable started purring again without even realizing it. ¡°I give you my word, I won¡¯t tell anyone. Not even that human I came in with.¡±

    The woman smiled as she picked up the book from her desk. ¡°Speaking of which, why don¡¯t we take this to that man you came in with earlier?

    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. Not sure how we¡¯re going to explain the book, though.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We can just say it¡¯s one of the many mysteries of the Grand Library.¡±

 The Case with the Ghost Girl Part 3

    ¡°Oh, Chopped Liver,¡± Sable as he and the woman approached Holden. ¡°I did your job for you.¡±

    Holden scowled while contouring to flip through old articles, searching for any leads.

    The woman cleared her throat to get Holden¡¯s attention. ¡°Excuse me, sir. I have a book for you that might help you with your problem.¡±

    ¡°So, you have a book on treatments for cat psychosis?¡± Holden quipped in a serious tone that made it hard to tell if he was joking.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Cat psychosis?¡±

    Sable growled. ¡°Ignore him. He¡¯s grumpy like this almost all the time.¡±

    Holden laughed. ¡°Did you happen to tell your new friend that we¡¯re investigating a haunting?¡± He then turned to face the elf woman. ¡°This cat keeps seeing ghosts in our apartment; one that has no idea how she ended up as a ghost. We suspect she probably died in there several years ago.¡±

    ¡°Oh well that would certainly explain a lot,¡± the woman smiled. ¡°So, the kitty cat believes in ghosts? That¡¯s kind of cute.¡±

    Sable wanted to snap at the woman for continuously calling him kitty cat, but he kept his mouth shut. She had helped him without even asking what he needed help with, and divulged what seemed to be a pretty big secret about the Grand Library while doing so. Sable had no idea why this woman would do that for him, though. Nonetheless, out of gratitude, he¡¯d let her get away with treating him like some ordinary house cat for now.

    Holden saw the complicated expression on Sable¡¯s face, who was trying to hold back a frown. ¡°Wow, Cat. I never knew you were capable of such restraint.¡± Holden then held his hand out to take the book from the woman. ¡°Thank you for helping him out.¡± A mischievous grin then appeared on Holden¡¯s face. ¡°He really is a good kitty cat, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°I know. Isn¡¯t he?¡± The woman said with a radiant smile while handing the book to Holden. ¡°Oh, just so you know, that book has an enchantment on it that prevents it from leaving the library. So, you two will have to read it here, alright?¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Miss. we will.¡±

    Holden and Sable left the woman¡¯s company to find an area in the library where they could read comfortably. After every twenty rows of bookshelves there was a sitting area for guests with chairs, tables, and even desks. The seating area went the entire width of the library, which was further than the naked eye could see. The Grand Library was like a labyrinth. How anyone found anything in this place was beyond Holden¡¯s comprehension. It was said that you could walk for hours on end before reaching the other side of the library.

    ¡°This place is so impractical,¡± Holden said, squinting in an attempt to see the end of the library. ¡°Yet somehow every time I come here, the section I¡¯m looking for is always toward the front of the shelves. I wonder if the bookcases move in response to the guests¡¯ desires. That would certainly explain a lot.¡±

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Sable hid a knowing smirk. Given what he had learned about the Grand Library from the helpful woman, Sable would bet that Holden¡¯s theory was correct. Not that Sable intended to admit that to Holde, though. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll just never know. It¡¯s why the Grand Library is one of Thanador¡¯s seven wonders.¡±

    Holden could tell that Sable was hiding something from him, but decided to ignore it. He started looking through the book the woman had given them.

    The first article he read was about a pre-teen girl who had committed suicide in the apartment about ten years after Chrimoria¡¯s founding. It included a rough sketch of the girl, but Sable said that the girl in the article didn¡¯t look like the ghost girl.

    Aahhh! The ghost girl suddenly walked right behind Holden, causing Sable to yelp. ¡°Please don¡¯t scare me like that.¡±

    The ghost girl gave Sable an innocent smile. ¡°I thought about calling out to you from afar. But I realized that would probably freak you out, too.¡±

    Holden just ignored Sable¡¯s cries of terror and chatter, treating it like the literal ravings of someone who had lost their mind. He read through the second article, which was about Chrimoria¡¯s first serial killer, who had murdered a girl in her late teens. The woman was described as having a youthful appearance that made her look younger than she actually was. The sketch made her look rather short. Although she was eighteen years old, the girl could¡¯ve easily been mistaken for thirteen or fourteen.

    ¡°What about this girl?¡± Holden asked, showing Sable the picture of the sketch in the book. ¡°Does she look anything like your imaginary friend?¡±

    Sable huffed. ¡°Would you stop mocking me? And no by the way. The girl we¡¯re looking for looks more like she¡¯s in her mid-teens. And she¡¯s actually slightly taller than average.¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡± The ghost girl asked, looking down at her feet., trying to get a sense of her height.

    ¡°Yes. Maybe only an inch or two, though,¡± Sable replied.

    ¡°Imaginary friend,¡± Holden said, mockingly.

    ¡°Oh, shut it.¡±

    Holden continued reading through articles. There were about a dozen of them, so it only took him about an hour. Unfortunately, none of them fit the description of the ghost girl Sable was seeing before him.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bust.¡± Holden yawned from sleepiness. His watch said that it was three in the morning. Holden had only gotten two hours of sleep, and was struggling to stay away. ¡°So, where to next, Cat?¡±

    ¡°Why ask me? You¡¯re the detective here,¡± Sable said.

    ¡°That¡¯s funny coming from the cat that goes around acting like a detective every time we talk to someone.¡± Holden then yawned once again while lying his head on the table. ¡°Besides this is your case isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Sable started flicking his tail back and forth while debating with himself regarding what to do next. ¡°Let¡¯s see. Maybe we could try asking around the neighborhood? Someone might know something. No. That¡¯s not very reliable. I suppose we could try hiring a diviner. Divination magic could easily help us discover who this girl is. Then against the mage would have to be able to see the girl in order to use divination on her.¡±

    It seemed like Sable would be thinking for a while, so Holden decided to make a suggestion. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to an artist?¡±

    ¡°An artist? How is an artist going to help us with this predicament?¡±

    ¡°The main hurdle we¡¯re running into is that you¡¯re the only one who can actually see and talk to this girl. It would be easier if I had a picture of her, in case I have to search through reports again. Knowing what she actually looks like would be useful.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t we have a mind mage project my memories of her into your mind?¡±

    ¡°Do you know where we can find a mind mage capable of that at this hour?¡±

    ¡°Do you know where we can find an artist at this hour? Especially one that won¡¯t charge us an outrageous sum for their work?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I do,¡± Holden proclaimed. ¡°Follow me, Cat. Let me introduce you to an old acquaintance of mine.¡±

 The Case with the Ghost Girl Part 4

    Sable jumped onto Holden¡¯s shoulders and the two of them hastily left the Grand Library. The ghost girl meekly followed behind them, trying to stay out of sight.

    Holden made his way through the back alleys around the municipality district, which was only a few blocks away from the Grand Library. This district contained building for all of the major governing bodies of Chrimoria, including the Mages Union, and the Chrimoria Police Department Headquarters.

    The person Holden was looking for had a habit of drawing graffiti in the alleys between different buildings. They were also one of Holden¡¯s first clients when he moved to Chrimoria a few years ago, who still owed Holden for the job he completed.

    ¡°So, you allowed this guy to pay you for your services in exchange for his own,¡± Sable said to make sure he understood Holden correctly. ¡°What could you possibly use an artist for? Other than the current circumstances at least.¡±

    ¡°I was trying to establish myself back then,¡± Holden explained. ¡°So, I was a lot more willing to work out deals like this. I figured I could use his artistic skills for something. And behold, here we are.¡±

    ¡°I believe you did the same thing with the kid whose sword we helped find. Your soft side is going to make us go bankrupt.¡±

    ¡°Then you can always stay with Elliandra. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d love to have a furry companion by her side at all times. Being a prosecutor is stressful, you know.¡±

    They continued making their way through the alleyways, eventually coming across a young beastfolk with a paintbrush and palette in the distance of painting a white horse on the side of the Mages Union building. This beastfolk didn¡¯t look that different from a human, aside from his tail, hairy knuckles, and slightly monkey-like facial features. This man was a race of beastfolk known as monkymen.

    ¡°Does your friend happen to be a monkey?¡± Sable asked with a cheeky grin. ¡°If so, I think we found him.¡±

    ¡°Hey, at least my friends are real,¡± Holden retorted. ¡°And not some imaginary teenage girl that I¡¯m afraid of.¡± Holden admired the partially completed mural that the monkeyman was making on the wall. The whole thing was nowhere near complete. So far, the monkeyman had only drawn a forest, and what looked like a unicorn collapsed on the ground. It still looked magnificent in its unfinished state, showing that the monkeyman painting it had extraordinary talent.

    The monkeyman noticed Holden¡¯s presence upon approach, and gently placed his brush down. ¡°Isn¡¯t it wonderful, Holden? This piece came to me in a dream but a few days ago. I think it¡¯ll really catch people¡¯s attention about the depravity of alchemy in this age.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s certainly something. Though I can¡¯t tell what it is yet.¡±

    ¡°Ah fair. I haven¡¯t finished it yet. Since it¡¯s you, ill share my vision for this piece. Once I finish all the details on the unicorn I will begin to paint an armor-clad warrior driving a sword into the unicorn. This piece will showcase society¡¯s abuse of magical creatures. The news regarding a tavern owner in your neighborhood participating in a fairy trafficking ring inspired this. Were you perhaps involved in putting a stop to that? You can never trust those articles the reporters write. All the details said the police broke the case. That prosecutor, Elliandra, was somehow involved. I know how you both are friends, so I thought you might be involved.¡±

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Whoa, slow down there. That¡¯s a lot of information all at once.¡±

    The monkeyman scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m in my own head right now. You know how I get. What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°I can actually use your artistic abilities in this case I¡¯m working on.¡± Holden then gestured toward Sable, who was still standing on his shoulders. ¡°This cat keeps seeing a ghost girl, but I have no idea what she looks like. I know you probably haven¡¯t sketched in a while, but do you think you could draw her for us.¡±

    The monkeyman looked at Sable closely, paying particularly close attention to the shape of his face, and any other distinguishing features. He was specifically drawn to the gem on Sable¡¯s forehead. ¡°Ah, you''re a cait-sith. Simply marvelous. This will inspire so many works of art. Say Holden. I can definitely sketch this girl, but afterwards can I sketch this cait-sith, too? It¡¯s not very often one comes across their kind.¡±

    Holden nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯d definitely be agreeable to that. But not tonight. This case is somewhat urgent, so we¡¯ll have to come back some other time. I think we can call your debt to me square after that.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Yes. Understandable. Besides, I¡¯m knee deep in my current piece. Wouldn''t want some wandering inspiration to distract me from my vision.¡± The monkeyman stared at Sable for another moment before extending his hand. ¡°By the way, Cait-Sith, you can call me Brandish.¡±

    Sable awkwardly extended his paw, allowing Brandish to shake it. Sable then explained the situation with the ghost girl to Brandish.

    Brandish immediately went to the bag of art supplies he had lying next to his pallets to pull out a pencil and a large sketchbook. He prompted Sable to continue talking while drawing in the sketchbook.

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly an extraordinary story,¡± Brandish said at the end of Sable¡¯s tale. ¡°Would you mind keeping an image of this ghost girl in your mind for me. Thank you.¡±

    Sable didn¡¯t understand the purpose of it, but he followed Brandishes instructions anyways. The ghost girl thought it would be helpful to show herself within Sable¡¯s field of vision so he would have a clearer picture.

    ¡±Ah, yes. There it is. That¡¯s perfect,¡± Brandish said, the moment Sable saw the ghost girl.

    Sable¡¯s ears dropped in confusion. ¡°Chopped Liver, what is this man doing?¡±

    ¡°Focus, Cat,¡± Holden replied. ¡°He¡¯s peeking into your mind so he can get a clear vision of this ghost girl you claim to see. He¡¯s a telepathic mage, you see. That allows him to read thoughts, and see whatever other picture in their heads.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a wonderful talent,¡± Brandish said while still drawing. ¡°Although it¡¯s wasted on one like me. I suffer from severe migraines when using it. Regardless, it has inspired a multitude of my works, which is why I shall persevere nonetheless.¡±

    ¡°That is tragic,¡± Sable said. ¡°Although I have heard of psychic mages suffering much worse fates. Some lose their minds completely. Or even their memories.¡±

    ¡°Yes. But the tradeoff is worth it in my case.¡± Brandish¡¯s expression brightened up as he finished drawing. ¡°Yes truly marvelous. This ghost girl. This story. They are both the stuff that truly inspires the mind. A ghost girl appears before the only one in the world who can see her. But is she even a ghost? Is she the soul of a now deceased person? Or is she just a psychic impression? This is truly marvelous. It will be the focus of my next work. Holden, please return this drawing, along with your companion to me quickly. I must finish my current piece tonight. For I have something new that has sparked my curiosity. But first I must know how the story ends. Please come see me once you have solved this conundrum of yours.¡±

    Brandish left the sketch he drew of the ghost girl with Holden and Sable, then returned to the mural he was working on.

    Sable confirmed that the sketch Brandish drew was spot on. In fact, the cait-sith was impressed by how well-done it was. Everything, even the minor details, the sharp edges of the girl¡¯s cheek bones, and all other features, were perfectly reproduced in this sketch.

    ¡°I must say, this friend of yours has real talent,¡± Sable admitted.

    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d hear you seriously praise anyone,¡± Holden said. ¡°I guess there¡¯s a first time for everything, though.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, sir. I have praised people before. I don¡¯t praise you because you¡¯re a bumbling buffoon.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh. Keep tapping, Cat.¡±

 The Case with the Ghost Girl Part 5

    Holden and Sable aimlessly wandered around the municipal district. Initially, Now that Holden knew what the ghost girl looked like, he wouldn¡¯t need Sable to help when looking through pictures or sketches to know whether or not they were of the ghost girl he and Sable were investigating.

    Even though none of the articles within the Grand Library provided them with any clues as to who the ghost girl was, or why she became a ghost in the first place, there were other places that might be able to provide answers.

    Holden would have to reach out to another contact in order to make use of those places. His first choice of contacts was Elliandra, who would be the most likely person to help Holden and Sable with their current situation. Holden and Sable made their way and waited outside Elliandra¡¯s apartment until sunrise.

    Much to Sable¡¯s bewilderment, Holden was able to fall asleep sitting up against the wall. ¡°This man could probably snooze in the middle of a battlefield.¡± Sable yawned as he watched the ghost girl approach him. ¡°Is this what it¡¯s like for you? Just sitting around watching people sleep at night?¡±

    The ghost girl shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Mostly. I just kind of wander around. But I always return to the apartment, no matter how far I go.¡±

    ¡°Is it by choice? Or are you somehow forced to go back there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s by choice. It¡¯s the only place I feel comfortable. Not sure where else I would go either.¡±

    ¡°Have you remembered anything at all about who you were? Any little bit might help.¡±

    The ghost girl somberly shook her head. She then smiled because of a sudden realization. ¡°Hey, I just noticed something. You¡¯re not freaking out talking to me anymore.¡±

    Sable¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Wait. You¡¯re right. Hmm, that¡¯s unusual. Maybe I just needed to get used to you. I certainly don¡¯t think of you as something frightening anymore.¡±

    The two of them sat there making small talk until sunrise when Holden finally awoke from his slumber. Holden¡¯s eyes turned red from missing half a night¡¯s sleep, yet the man still had the energy to pick himself up and knock on the door. ¡°Elliandra? Are you awake? Elliandra?¡±

    Elliandra forcefully opened the door, giving Holden a death glare. ¡°What do you want this early in the morning?¡±

    ¡°Why so grouchy? Aren¡¯t you usually up at this time?¡±

    ¡°Usually,¡± Elliandra said, crossing her arms. ¡°But today is my day off. What¡¯s so important that you have to interrupt my beauty sleep?¡±

    ¡°Elliandra, you¡¯re beautiful even when you don¡¯t get a full night''s rest.¡±

    Elliandra pointed a disapproving finger at him. ¡°Flatter isn¡¯t going to improve my mood, Holden.¡± She then re-crossed her arms while leaning against the doorframe. ¡°Now what¡¯s this about?¡±

    Holden then gestured toward Sable. ¡°If it helps your mood; this favor I¡¯m about to ask you is for his sake more than my own.¡±

    ¡°Hi Sable,¡± Elliandra said while waving her hand. ¡°The fact that it¡¯s for Sable makes it worth being woken up early. Now get in here. I¡¯m going to change out of my pajamas. You two can wait in the living room.¡±

    Elliandra went back to her room to put on some clothes. She didn¡¯t have time to wash her hair, so she just threw it into a ponytail before meeting Holden and Sable out in her living room. Elliandra flopped onto the couch while still glaring at Holden with her natural red eyes, which only made her seem angrier. ¡°So, what is it that you two want?¡±

    Holden gestured for her to wait a moment, then dug a crystal out of his bag. This crystal had a faint purple glow. Holden tapped the crystal while looking expectantly at Elliandra.

    Elliandra recognized that this crystal contained a spell; it just needs magic to activate. After pouring her magic into it a barrier appeared around the three of them.

    Elliandra immediately recognized the spell¡¯s purpose. ¡°A barrier for warding off divination, and an expensive one no less. You really don¡¯t want anyone to know about this conversation. What is it you guys are going to ask me?¡±

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    Holden and Sable looked at one another. They both knew that it would be better if Sable asked for the favor. As much as the cait-sith hated to admit it, the fact that people treated him like a house cat made some things easier. Asking for favors was one of them.

    ¡°Our apartment is haunted by a ghost girl,¡± Sable explained. ¡°And we need your help so she can pass on.¡±

    Elliandra furrowed her brows at the absurdity of the request. ¡°Holden, are you two just messing with me? Or has the cat gone mad?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s the latter,¡± Holden replied with a serious expression. ¡°As far as I can tell, this cat is hallucinating.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not crazy,¡± Sable insisted. ¡°If anything, all of you are just fools, because you can¡¯t see her.¡±

    Elliandra went over to Sable to search his chin. ¡°Aw, you¡¯re so cute when you act all defensive.¡±

    Sable begrudgingly accepted her chin scratches without complaint, while looking uncomfortably at Holden with eyes that begged him to make her stop. Holden just pretended not to notice until Elliandra got her fill.

    After a full minute of scratching Sable on the chin, behind the ears, and along his neck, Elliandra sat back down on the couch. ¡°So, what exactly is it that you need me to do?¡±

    ¡°I want to use the resident files to try to figure out who this ghost girl is. We have a highly detailed sketch of her. We just need to find out who she is, and what happened to her.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as the residential files,¡± Elliandra said, unable to maintain eye contact with Holden. ¡°Sorry. I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    ¡°Elliandra, you and I both know that you¡¯re lying.¡±

    ¡°Can someone explain to me what that is?¡± Sable asked, wondering just how this was supposed to help with their current predicament.

    Holden smirked right before answering Sable¡¯s question. ¡°The residential files are a top-secret vault where the Chrimoria Government keeps records of every single resident who has ever lived in the city, including the current residents. We could use it to identify our ghost girl. The issue is civilians aren¡¯t supposed to know about it. Only high-ranking officials.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so wrong with that. Plenty of cities have files on their residents. Why keep this a secret?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because of the information stored there. Let¡¯s just say, it¡¯s information the government isn¡¯t supposed to have. Plus, most public records get rid of residents'' information up to twenty years after their passing. The Residential Files never get rid of information. There is even information that the government has covered up there.¡±

    Elliandra clicked her tongue. ¡°Should''ve known a former spy would have dirt on the Chrimoria government. How did you come across this information? Wait. Never mind. Don¡¯t tell me. I don¡¯t want to know.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t the same carefree woman I first met,¡± Sable pointed out.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I can¡¯t be,¡± Elliandra snapped. ¡°Not about this. The fact that you¡¯re asking me about this puts me in a delicate position. If anyone finds out that we talked-.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve snuck into places that are probably far more secure. You don¡¯t have to worry about people ever knowing.¡±

    ¡°This is different, Holden. I can¡¯t help you with this. It¡¯s not like sneaking into an abandoned tavern to prove a man¡¯s innocence like the last job. The higher up could overlook something like that, but not this. I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t help. If anything, I should report you.¡±

    Holden sighed. ¡°Alright. I know how stubborn you can be, and this isn¡¯t worth burning any bridges over.¡± Holden then tapped the crystal, ending the spell before stowing the crystal away in his bag. ¡°Thank you for your time, Elliandra. I¡¯m sorry for waking you up early.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Holden. What you''re asking for is just outside of my power. Please take care.¡±

    Elliandra couldn¡¯t conceal her anxiety as she watched Holden and Sable walk out the door. She bit her lips so hard that they bled. Elliandra then ran out the door while Holden and Sable were in the hallway. ¡°Holden,¡± she shouted, causing the duo to stop. ¡°Please be careful. You have a tendency to find trouble. I wouldn¡¯t want to see anything bad happen to you.¡±

    Holden turned around to give Elliandra a warm smile, then left the apartment with Sable.

    Once they were outside, Sable had a few questions that were bothering him. ¡°What was with that formal goodbye at the end there?¡± Sable then attempted to impersonate Holden by speaking in a deep voice. ¡°Thank you for your time, Elliandra. I¡¯m sorry for waking you so early.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best to end those conversation on good terms, especially when someone is turning down a plea for help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense.¡±

    Holden just shrugged his shoulders and continued walking. He wasn¡¯t going to explain it to Sable on the off chance that Elliandra was investigated in the future regarding what he was about to do. Elliandra was right when saying she could get in serious trouble if word got out that she didn¡¯t report Holden for asking her to use the Residential Files, so Holden was going to leave behind as little evidence as possible.

    That formal goodbye was just a show in case Elliandra was ever investigated. The use of a barrier to block divination was already suspicious. However, if they could make it seem like Holden was just asking for a favor that Elliandra couldn¡¯t accommodate, rather than something more serious, then it would make things easier on her. Of course, Holden wasn¡¯t going to explain that to Sable in case they decided to investigate him too because of the suspicious circumstances.

    ¡°Well, Cat,¡± Holden said with a smug grin. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that you¡¯ll start to understand these things the longer you¡¯re in this line of work.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say, Chopped Liver,¡± Sable retorted with a grin of his own.

 The Case with the Ghost Girl Part 6

    Holden and Sable made their way back to Holden¡¯s office where Holden sat back with his feet up on the desk, groaning from wariness.

    Sable sat on the desk, wagging his tail. The cait-sith felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. ¡°This whole thing has been exhausting. Not to mention we just hit a dead end.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Holden mumbled. ¡°So, what now, Oh Great Detective Sable?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you actually know my name,¡± Sable jeered with a big yawn. ¡°You¡¯re the detective. So, you tell me what we should do next.¡±

    ¡°There is another person I can talk to. But I¡¯m not fond of the idea.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and who else could know about-.¡±

    ¡°Cat, Don''t say it.¡±

    Sable recalled how troublesome Elliandra said simply knowing about the Residential Files could be, and immediately shut his mouth.

    Holden then contours his explanation. ¡°I do have a contact that can help us. I just don¡¯t like the idea of owing him a favor.¡±

    ***

    Holden and Sable went to the nearest police precinct. This was the same precinct in charge of investigating the murder of the tavern owner; the very case that brought Holden and Sable together. This precinct was also the base of operations for the 7th division of the Chrimoria Police Department; thus, it was referred to as the 7th precinct.

    Holden went right up to the front desk and leaned against it to talk to the officer. ¡°I need to speak to Inspector Alwin. Tell him Holden needs his help.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sir, but who are-.¡± The officer was immediately interrupted by none other than Alwin himself.

    ¡°Officer, don¡¯t worry,¡± Alwin said. ¡°I¡¯ll meet with them right away.¡± Alwin led Holden and Sable to his office where he sat behind his desk. ¡°So, what¡¯s so urgent that you need to talk to me at work.¡±

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    Holden brought out the same crystal he used in Elliandra¡¯s apartment, causing Alwin¡¯s eyes to widen. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Alwin poured his magic into the crystal, then folded his hands, waiting for Holden to make his request.¡±

    ¡°I need to get into the Residential Files,¡± Holden explained. ¡°It¡¯s regarding a deceased girl who''s been haunting my apartment.¡±

    Alwin smacked his lips, unsure exactly how to react to such a request. ¡°You said a dead girl is haunting your apartment?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. And it¡¯s keeping my cat awake at night.¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm. And have you thought about hiring an exorcist to remove the evil sport? Maybe burn some sage, or toss salt at it,¡± Alwin said with a snarky grin.

    ¡°Oh, very funny. Can you help me, or not?¡±

    Alwin had a pensive expression while thinking about how to respond. ¡°I can¡¯t help you get in, but I could tell you where it is. I¡¯m confident you¡¯ll be able to make your way in yourself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll do. What exactly do I owe you in exchange?¡±

    Alwin snickered at the question. ¡°I just might need your help with my own work later on down the line.¡±

    Holden grit his teeth in frustration. ¡°I knew you¡¯d ask me that. Very well. Call upon me, and I¡¯ll come running.¡±

    ¡°It was a pleasure doing business with you.¡±

    Holden and Alwin shook hands, and Alwin divulged everything he knew about the vault where the Residential Files were stored. However, there was one last thing Alwin had to say. ¡°Oh, one last thing, Holden. Before you bring down the anti-divination barrier, you should know that Concordia wanted me to warn you. Regarding the case involving the fairy trafficking, you got yourself involved in just might be above your head.¡±

    ¡°Tell Concordia not to worry,¡± Holden grunted. ¡°Her concern won¡¯t change what business I decide to get myself involved in.¡±

    ¡°You always were a stubborn one. I just hope for your sake that that stubbornness of yours won¡¯t be your undoing. You¡¯re not a spy anymore, so there¡¯s no organization or government to protect you when things go awry.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll admit trading favors for protection has been a pain. But I¡¯m done working for shady government agencies and politicians. I will choose my own jobs, and take my own path forward. I¡¯m finally doing something that I feel makes a positive difference.¡±

    ¡°Huh. You sound so idealistic when you say that. Surprising coming from such a pessimistic individual.¡±

    ¡°Blame the spy business for my pessimism. You don¡¯t see the things I¡¯ve seen and still keep a positive outlook on the world, including people in general.¡±

    Alwin laughed at the comment. ¡°I suppose not. Well, then, good luck, Holden. Don¡¯t forget that you owe me one.¡±

    ¡°I doubt you¡¯d even let me, Alwin.¡±

 The Case with the Ghost Girl Part 7

    Finally having the information they needed, Holden and Sable then left the 7th precinct. Their next stop was Holden¡¯s apartment so he could grab a few things to help them sneak into the vault with the Residential Files.

    The vault was located on the south side of Chrimoria in the basement of an old, gated apartment complex called the Golden Lion Estates. The building looked like an ordinary brick apartment building for the most part. However, according to Alwin the residents were anything but ordinary.

    Most of them were officers and their families from the Chrimoria Police Department, while the rest were security hired by the Chrimoria Government to protect the vault beneath the building.

    The Golden Lion Estates was subsidized housing for cops who worked on the south side of the city. They were actually some of the nicest apartments on this side of town. Although that wasn¡¯t saying much given the standard of living in South Chrimoria.

    What made this even more appealing to the cops who lived here was that between the fenced off perimeter and the hired guards to watch over the apartment complex, it was the safest place to live in South Chrimoria.

    Holden and Sable sat at a cafe across the street from the apartment complex. Holden sipped a cup of coffee while discrediting examining the building, all of the people going in and out, and the security guards standing outside the gate itself.

    Sable just sat on the table drinking from a bowl of milk the human waitress had provided because she thought Sable was adorable, completely unaware that he was a cait-sith rather than a regular cat. As much as Sable hated to admit it, people treating him like an ordinary cat had its advantages.

    ¡°Looks like you¡¯re really taking to living like an actual cat,¡± Holden said, carefully watching the guards out of the corner of his eyes.

    Sable decided to completely ignore Holden¡¯s comment by changing the subject. ¡°Are we really just going to sit here and stare at it all day?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just looking for a new home that is safe. These apartments might be subsidized housing for law enforcement, but maybe they¡¯ll accept a PI.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Sable titled his head in confusion, then realized that Holden was just acting like an interested buyer looking for an apartment in case anyone was listening in, or on the off chance someone would use divination magic to investigate him.

    The conversation with Elliandra had made Holden somewhat paranoid. Covering his tracks by not saying anything that could potentially be incriminating was his new approach.

    On the other hand, Sable wasn¡¯t as worried. ¡°You know, all of this will be for naught the moment we walk in there. There¡¯s no way you can hide the fact that you were in the vault from divination magic.¡±

    Holden slapped his forehead in embarrassment. ¡°You¡¯ve got a good point. Let¡¯s just make sure we don¡¯t get anyone else involved. I wouldn''t want to get any of our friends in trouble when they had nothing to do with it.¡±

    ¡°Agreed. So, what are we doing waiting around?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re scoping the place out. I want to get a general idea of who lives here. Sneaking into a building filled with cops, who are always on guard, is going to be difficult.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean always on guard?¡± Sable asked. ¡°This is their home. Why would they always be on guard?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s one thing that soldiers, cops, and spies all have in common; we all have a tough time turning off our danger switch. We spend most of our days looking for trouble, and seeing the worst of humanity. It makes us cynical, and slightly paranoid. Most people would probably never go outside if they knew how dangerous the world actually was.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that even off duty everyone in that building is going to be expecting something bad to happen?¡±

    ¡°Maybe not expecting. But they¡¯ll certainly be more prepared. It¡¯s just a mentality. One that most people can¡¯t fully understand.¡±

    ¡°How are we supposed to infiltrate a place like that?¡±

    Holden took another sip of his coffee, and watched as a man walked out through the gate of the apartment complex. The man headed toward the east, which was in the direction of the nearest precinct. ¡°The only way to go unnoticed is to become someone they think they can trust. It¡¯s not full proof, but cops will naturally let their guards down a little more around other cops.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to be able to pull that off? Disguising yourself as someone they know sounds tough.¡±

    ¡°Who says I have to be someone they know? I have the perfect disguise. I¡¯ll just need you to be willing to act like my familiar.¡±

    Sable¡¯s tail stiffened from surprise. ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    ***

    A few minutes later, Holden and Sable came strutting out from around the corner of the Golden Lion Estates. The duo had walked a couple of blocks away, then ducked into an alleyway so Holden could put on a disguise. He used a mask that allowed him to change his appearance to look like an elven male, and his brown coat turned a turquoise color.

    Sable didn¡¯t look any different, but he didn¡¯t have to. Most people struggled telling different cait-sith apart, so all he would have to do was change his voice a little, and most people would think Sable was a completely different cait-sith.

    Once Holden arrived at the gate to the Golden Lion Estates, he greeted the guards in a different voice. ¡°Hello, gentlemen. Fine day. I¡¯m looking to move here, and was hoping I could get a look inside.¡±

    Both guards looked Holden up and down then grunted. One of them then said, ¡°Sorry. No tours. Move along. This place is reserved for officers of the Chrimoria Police Department¡¯s southern divisions. No civilians allowed.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me. I¡¯m from the city of Shieldfelt to the north. You know, the fortress city that protects the north-eastern border of the Western Confederacy from the most dangerous nations who seek to conquer us?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Yeah,¡± one of the guards said, making a dismissive gesture. ¡°We know how great you Shieldfelt warriors are. Don¡¯t got to rub it in. Alas it doesn¡¯t change anything. You¡¯re not allowed in here.¡±

    A voice from across the street bellowed, ¡°Hold up guys.¡± The voice belonged to a large, burly man dressed in a Chrimoria Police Department officer¡¯s uniform. There were a couple other men flanking his right and left sides wearing the same uniform. The man went directly to Holden to shake his hand. ¡°You¡¯re from Shieldfelt? No offense, but you don¡¯t look like a warrior.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true,¡± Holden smirked, shaking the man¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m actually a mage. I¡¯ve always been a bit more intellectual than athletic. I don¡¯t really fit in with the Shieldfelt Police Department.¡±

    The man laughed hardest. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. Well, you¡¯ll be valued here. Chrimoria¡¯s southern division could use more mages. Come on in as my guest. Me and the others are going to crack open a bottle after a long day of work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be grateful. Thank you.¡± Holden then gestured toward Sable. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if my familiar comes with, do you?¡±

    ¡°Not a problem. Follow us. We¡¯ll give you the grand tour.¡±

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    The guards reluctantly let Holden and Sable in, but kept their eyes trained on them both until they were inside. The man¡¯s name was Donald Keys, but his coworkers just called him Keys, since using last names was common in the profession. Key and Holden made small talk until they arrived at Keys¡¯ apartment on the second floor. The first thing Keys did after entering his apartment was open a barrel full of beer, and pour cups for everyone, aside from Sable.

    ¡°Here you go,¡± Keys said, shoving a cup of beer into Holden¡¯s hand. ¡°What did you say your name was again? Sorry. It¡¯s been a long day.¡±

    ¡°No worries,¡± Holden said with a friendly smile. ¡°It¡¯s Silas.¡±

    ¡°Well Silas, welcome to Chrimoria. The city of merchants where you can find anything and everything.¡±

    ¡°Is that really true, or just an exaggeration? I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s even a place where you can buy things that are outlawed in almost every nation.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true. Though that place isn¡¯t on the surface. No cop in their right mind would be caught dead there. Scratch that, if a cop was caught there; they¡¯d immediately be killed. Not the place you want to be hanging around.¡±

    ¡°I guess not.¡±

    Holden, Keys, and his coworkers all counties chatting and laughing for several hours. They spent most of the time swapping stories; mostly strange or action-filled encounters they had had on the job. Holden used an identity he had used from his days as a spy, so he had plenty of stories to tell as part of his cover.

    Sable just sat next to Holden watching everyone chat, while the ghost girl hovered above both of their heads. It was probably the first time Sable had seen Holden laugh and talk so casually. The sight was odd given how guarded Holden usual was. If it weren¡¯t for their purpose being to break into some secret government vault below the apartment building, Sable might¡¯ve let his guard down too.

    It was about an hour into the conversation that the ghost girl started to get bored and walked through the floor toward the first floor. She then went through the floor of the first floor as well, and found herself in the basement of the Golden Lion Estate. Just as Alwin had mentioned, there was a large vault located behind a vault door in the basement. This vault was filled with boxes, each of which contained dozens of files.

    Since the ghost girl couldn¡¯t actually touch anything she was unable to confirm whether or not these were the files Holden was looking for. Nonetheless, getting a look at the vault''s security was easy.

    The vault itself was an enclosed space with no windows or doors, aside from the vault door connecting it to the basement. There were half a dozen guards present, along with a couple of guard dogs roaming the isles.

    The rows and boxes themselves were clearly labeled, allowing the ghost girl to identify which ones Holden and Sable should focus their attention on. Most of the rows were alphabetized by name and birthday of the resident. However, there was also an entire row with boxes of files dedicated specifically to murder victims, and also missing persons cases. A row for residents who had died from diseases and other natural causes other than old age also existed.

    The ghost girl returned to Holden and Sable around nightfall after looking around the entire vault. She then whispered everything she discovered into Sable¡¯s ear. Sable nodded and whispered thank you back to her, then returned to watching Holden laughing with Keys and the others.

    ¡°Man, this guy is great,¡± Keys said, pointing to Holden. ¡°You should work at our precinct. I hope you end up working at our precinct.¡±

    ¡°Is it me, or is this guy totally wasted?¡± Holden pointed out.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine,¡± Keys replied while laughing. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m pretty drunk. I should probably get to bed. You can stay the night if you want.¡±

    Holden helped Keys walk to his room as the other officers left for their own apartments. This allowed Holden and Sable to speak plainly with each other, albeit at a low volume.

    Holden sat down for a moment to recover from all the alcohol he drank since he got here. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s been a long time since I had to drink that much while undercover. I guess now¡¯s as good a time as any to look at the basement.¡±

    ¡°Hold up,¡± Sable suggested. ¡°You can take a second to recover. The ghost girl already scouted it out for us.¡±

    ¡°Your imaginary friend scouted it out already.¡±

    ¡°You''re going through all this, yet you don¡¯t believe me?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I completely believe it. But I¡¯m starting to. Wouldn¡¯t go through all this effort if I didn¡¯t have a little faith in you.¡± Holden than stood up and started moving around. ¡°So, what did this ghost girl of yours say was down there?¡±

    ***

    After Sable informed Holden of everything the ghost girl told him, the two of them devised a plan. Holden left a note on Keys¡¯ table saying that there was an emergency back home that he had to deal with, then quickly left for the basement..

    Sneaking into the vault in the basement was no easy task. Fortunately, Holden had a magical item that he kept from his days as a spy that would allow him to be invisible to the naked eye, a Ring of Lesser Invisibility. This ring would allow the wearer to turn invisible up to ten minutes before needing to recharge for a full 12 hours.

    Holden would need to time this right if he wanted to sneak inside the vault. There was only one way inside, and that was through a massive vault door. This door only opened during the guard shift, which was coming up soon.

    Holden and Sable both hid in the shadows of the basement waiting for the time when the guards rotated.

    The ghost girl kept an eye on the vault door, then took advantage of the fact that only Sable could see and hear her to inform the duo when they could move. Right as the vault door opened, Holden activated the ring, and snuck in right behind the guards going into the vault.

    Sable used his cat-like stealth to follow behind them unproved as well, using minor teleportation to quickly move when a guard almost saw him.

    The guards ended up closing the vault door none the wiser that two intruders had successfully snuck inside.

    Unfortunately, getting in was the easy part. Searching through the files, and getting out proved to be much harder. There were always at least two bloodhounds patrolling the vault. This meant that Holden and Sable would have to be extra careful.

    Holden had plenty of ways to cover up his sent using a spray that would get rid of it completely for a few hours at most. However, sound would be the hardest thing to cover up. Both Holden and Sable¡¯s footsteps and breathing were as quiet as could be. The sounds they¡¯d be making while searching through files would be difficult to muffle.

    Holden and Sable quietly made their way to the row of files on murder victims and missing persons that went as far back as Chrimoria¡¯s founding. After quietly flipping through the files closest to the end of the row, Holden learned that there was a list that had the name and picture of every person whose file was on each shelf. Holden deemed this list the master list in his mind. A quick skim through this list helped Holden confirm that no one on the master list matched the description of the ghost girl.

    The duo had to wait before they could move on to another row of shelves because one of the bloodhounds was passing right by them with two guards. The bloodhounds sniffed the air, but didn¡¯t smell anything out of the ordinary. It then continued making its rounds, freeing Holden and Sable to quietly sneak over to the row of shelves on to the next row that was on people who had died from various illnesses. Once again, Holden found the master list, but came up with no matches.

    They continued to carefully evade guards and bloodhounds while searching through the master lists of any rows that might¡¯ve been relevant. However, none matched the description of the ghost girl. There were a few that were close, but Sable inspected them carefully while comparing their faces to the ghost girl as she floated right above them.

    Thanks to the master lists, Holden and Sable were able to go through several rows quickly, yet by the time Holden¡¯s Ring of Invisibility was about to run out, they hadn¡¯t found a single lead. The duo was left with no choice but to escape.

    Thanks to the ghost girl scouting the place out earlier, Holden had already devised an escape plan. The only way in or out of the vault was the vault door. However, there were also air vents scattered throughout the place that the duo could use to escape. None of them were large enough for a full person to crawl through, but a cait-sith easily could.

    During the last minute of invisibility he had left, Holden made his way to a nearby vent, pulled out a screwdriver, and quietly unscrewed the screws keeping it attached to the wall. Sable made his way inside.

    The Lesser Eing of Invisibility wore off after that, so Holden had to quickly screw the vent cover back on as quickly and quietly as possible before a patrol came around.

    Holden could hear the footsteps coming in his direction right after he finished putting the vent cover back on. His palms started sweating, and a chill ran down his spine as the footsteps continued to get closer.

    The situation required Holden to act fast. He quickly pulled out a bottle filled with a shrink potion from his bag, and poured the entire thing into his mouth before stuffing the cap and bottle back in his bag. Holden then swallowed the potion, shrinking him, along with everything on him, down until he was the size of an ant. At that size, Holden was able to squeeze himself between the grate of the vent cover, and ride on Sable¡¯s back until they made their way outside through the air vent.

    Sable ran off into an alleyway a few blocks away from the Golden Lion Estate where Holden reverted back to his normal size. Holden lay on the ground so he could catch his breath and let the adrenaline die down. ¡°That¡¯s the last of my shrinking potions. We won¡¯t be able to go back there again. Unless you want to get caught.

    Sable was breathing heavily as well. The very thought of going back there filled the cait-sith with anxiety. ¡°No way are we going back there. Not unless we can knock them all out, then flee the city when they inevitably realize what we did.¡±

    Holden groaned as he sat up. ¡°Yeah. I agree. Let¡¯s never do that again.¡± Holden got to his feet and brushed all of the dust his clothes had picked up from the ground. ¡°So, what now? Go home?¡±

    Sable used his paw to wipe dirt off of his forehead. ¡°Sounds good. I think I¡¯ll take a bath.¡±

    ¡°Never thought I¡¯d heard a cat say that.¡±

    ¡°And you still haven¡¯t. I¡¯m a cait-sith, remember?¡±

    ¡°Right. Right. Of course,¡± Holden grimaced. ¡°You¡¯re a cait-sith. I got it.¡±

 The Case with the Ghost Girl Part 8

    Holden and Sable made their way back to Holden¡¯s apartment where the two of them flopped onto the couch. Exhaustion was the only thing they felt. However, the mystery regarding who the ghost girl was, and what had happened to her still hung over their heads.

    ¡°Hey Sable,¡± Holden said in a weak voice.

    ¡°What is it, Holden?¡± Sable replied with a weary tone.

    ¡°Maybe your ghost girl¡¯s not from Chrimoria. Maybe she¡¯s from somewhere else, but she died here.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Maybe,¡± Sable groaned. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she still be mentioned in the Residential Files? They kept records of those who died in town. The only other option is that she died, but nobody knew about it.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Holden kept racking his brains to think of something. This couldn¡¯t be a dead end. If other people besides Sable could see the ghost girl, then that meant she was real. However, the girl¡¯s merry loss didn¡¯t make sense. How does a psychic impression lose their memories? The theory behind ghosts was that they were impressions of someone¡¯s mind upon their death. They couldn¡¯t remain without any memories. Also, a psychic impression couldn¡¯t feel tired, which meant the ghost girl wasn¡¯t a psychic impression, but a soul. However, souls don¡¯t get tired either.

    That last thought made Holden gasp. ¡°Wait. Souls don¡¯t get tired. But the mind does. Or at least it can get lethargic. Sable, this ghost girl might not be a ghost. She might not even be dead.¡±

    The ghost girl''s eyes lit up with anticipation, Meanwhile, Sable perked his ears up in excitement. ¡°Does this mean you¡¯ve figured out what happened to her?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been working off the impression that this girl must be dead. But what if that wasn¡¯t the case? What would that mean?¡±

    Sable jaw fell open in shock. ¡°That would mean that she¡¯s alive, but her mind somehow traveled here. Which means-.¡±

    Both Holden and Sable said in unison, ¡°She¡¯s an astral projection.¡±

    Sable noticed how puzzled the ghost girl was, so he decided to explain. ¡°You¡¯re a person whose mind has left their body.¡±

    ¡°Which could explain your lack of memories,¡± Holden added. ¡°Astral Projection is a type of psychic magic. A drawback of which is losing memories when it is overused. You¡¯ve been hanging around the apartment for years, so you¡¯ve probably been an astral projection for most of that time, which is why you¡¯ve lost your memories. It would also explain why you¡¯re feeling tired, because your magic is running low.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°But wait,¡± the ghost girl squealed. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then how do I return to my real body?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll happen naturally,¡± Holden said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ll be just fine. Once your magic runs out, you¡¯ll be back to wherever you were. I can only imagine how many times you must have used astral projection over the years. Most psychic mages could remain in the state for a few days at most.¡±

    Sable held up his paw in a stopping gesture. ¡°Hold up, Holden. Astral projections aren¡¯t visible to anyone not on the astral plane. So, how is it that I could see her, but no one else can?¡±

    ¡°Ah. That¡¯s right,¡± Holden said, snapping his fingers. ¡°So, how can something on another plane of existence just show up here?¡± Holden rubbed his chin in contemplation. His eyes met with Sable¡¯s which struck a chord. Sable was a spatial mage who always used minor teleportation whenever he needed to use the restroom to get to the bathroom window.. ¡°I have it. Your use of minor teleportation must have created a spatial rift that she traveled through.¡±

    ¡°Minor teleportation couldn¡¯t create a spatial rift. The spell is too weak. Maybe if I were to use it constantly for hours.¡±

    Holden raised his chin up slightly and declared, ¡°But what if our apartment was already the location of a large spatial distortion?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sable said bluntly.

    ¡°It was something I learned when we were at the Grand Library. There was an article in the paper about someone who lived in our apartment many years ago. He was a spatial mage who liked to experiment. This could¡¯ve easily created a rift at one point.¡±

    ¡°If there was such a rift in our apartment, I would¡¯ve sensed it.¡±

    ¡°Not if that rift had been closed. Hasn¡¯t the use of spatial spells in areas where large rifts occurred caused smaller rifts to open up on occasion?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes. But-.¡±

    ¡°But nothing. Your use of minor teleportation probably created a small, temporary spatial fluctuation that the ghost girl traveled through, allowing her to appear before you. A fluctuation that you could barely sense, even if you were to search for it. Usually something the size of a human couldn¡¯t fit through a small rift. But a consciousness doesn¡¯t have size, thus they can fit through some of the smallest tears.¡±

    ¡°So, wait. Are you saying-.¡±

    Holden snapped his fingers again. ¡°Yes. This girl has likely traveled through minor spatial rifts multiple times over the last twenty years since the apartment was reported to be haunted. It would explain everything that people have experienced. Feeling like someone was watching them. The chills. Everything.¡±

    ¡°Someone was watching them. Plus, her presence on this plane creates minor spatial fluctuations, which causes the temperature to drop. And it¡¯s also why only I have been able to see her.¡±

    Holden and Sable¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement at having finally found a plausible explanation. The ghost girl couldn¡¯t stop herself from giggling. All she had ever seen these two do was bicker. Be that as it may, at that moment both Holden and Sable looked like excited little kids having the best time of their lives talking to each other.

 The Case with the Ghost Girl Epilogue

    Holden and Sable waited in the apartment for the ghost girl¡¯s astral projection spell to wear off, chatting all the while.

    Sable had a particular question in mind that he had wanted to ask ever since their talk with Alwin. ¡°You know, I never asked, who is this Concordia person you and Alwin were talking about? An old lover perhaps? A secret love child?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a mutual acquaintance. Alwin and I have known each other ever since I moved to Chrimoria. Concordia and I- We¡¯ll, let¡¯s just say we don¡¯t talk much anymore.¡±

    Sable noticed the pause when Holden spoke, but couldn¡¯t determine what he was feeling due to the neutral expression on Holden¡¯s face. Sable concluded that Holden probably wanted to conceal the nature of his relationship with Concordia for reasons Holden wasn¡¯t likely going to explain.

    Sable knew that getting Holden to open up about this would take some work. It was better to change the subject for now, and revisit it when Holden trusted him more. ¡°And where exactly did you move from, if I may ask?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m from the Bransworth Kingdom. Doubt you¡¯ve heard of it. It¡¯s a small kingdom on the southern end of the continent.¡±

    ¡°And you were a spy for this kingdom?¡±

    ¡°No. Not for them. For somebody else.¡±

    ¡°Any chance you¡¯ll let me know who?¡±

    Holden laughed without seeing a word, giving Sable the impression that he wasn¡¯t yet ready to share that part of his life yet.

    ¡°Very well. Stupid human.¡±

    ¡°Dumb cat.¡±

    The two of them chuckled at each other bringing a smile to the ghost girls face who was watching them the entire time. ¡°You two are absolutely hopeless. I bet you¡¯ll end up being good friends.¡±

    Sable turned his head away from the ghost girl and Holden in embarrassment. ¡°Me in this man friends? He¡¯s chopped liver as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡±

    Holden rolled his eyes. ¡°Do I want to know what you and the ghost girl are even talking about?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I think you two will be just fine,¡± the ghost girl reiterated. ¡°Sable, tell Holden I said thank you to the both of you. I¡¯m afraid of what might happen next. But I hope I¡¯ll be able to see you both again so I can thank you properly.¡±

    Sable was a little choked up by her gratitude. It was something the cait-sith wasn¡¯t used to, so shyly stared at the ground, trying to think of the appropriate response. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know. And I hope we-.¡± Sable lifted his head to face the ghost girl. However, she was nowhere in sight. ¡°I hope we get to see each other again.¡± Sable¡¯s ears folded backwards as he tucked his tail between his legs. ¡°I hardly got the chance to know you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sable?¡± Holden asked, noticing his companion¡¯s somber tone of voice.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone. And she wanted me to express her gratitude toward you for all you¡¯ve done.¡±

    Holden saturated gently stroking Sable¡¯s back in an attempt to comfort him. ¡°It¡¯s kind of funny. You were scared of her at first; now you''re about to cry because she¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°Well, Cat, what should we do next?¡±

    Sable stretched out his entire body and yawned. He hadn¡¯t slept for almost a full 48 hours. Between that and the emotional goodbye, all the cait-sith wanted to do was sleep. ¡°Time to go to bed. I need a good, long, catnap.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°Here comes the cat, who hates being called a cat, yet uses cat puns.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Chopped Liver.¡±

    Holden playfully shoved Sable. ¡°Back at you, dumb cat.¡± Holden then looked up at the night sky, thinking of the days events. He then had a sudden realization, which caused him to pause. ¡°Wait a sec. We pulled an all nightery at a library, and broke into a secret government facility to solve this case. Yet all we needed to do was wait for her to run out of magic.¡±

    Holden and Sable then looked at one another. Both of their faces contorted as they said inunison. ¡°We¡¯re both idiots.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Sable said. ¡°So we both agree. W¡¯re never telling anyone about this.¡±

    Holden nodded his head. ¡°Agreed. I can already imagine the look on Elliandra and Alwin¡¯s faces if either of them found out.¡±

    ¡°It would dbe awful,¡± Sable said. ¡°They would mock us until we died of shame.¡±

    ¡°Then we let no one find out.¡±

    ¡°As if we could allow them to anyway. Remember?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right.¡± Holden looked up at the ceiling recalling that he now owed Alwin a huge favor. The thought made him sigh. ¡°Guess that¡¯ll have to be a problem for another day.¡±

    ***

    The ghost girl awakened in a hospital bed with absolutely no memory of who or where she was. The encounter with Holden and Sable was also absent from her memories. Everything that had ever happened to her had been wiped from her mind. The girl could recall basic things like language and what things where, but it appeared that any personal memories were gone.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where am I?¡±

    At that moment, a male doctor walked into the room with a clipboard in hand. The doctor¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the girl was awake. ¡°Oh my. Elisia are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Huh? What? Elisia? Who¡¯s Elisia? And who are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Sorry,¡± the doctor said remorsefully. ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t remember. ¡°The doctor sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve been comatose for over twenty years now. The whole time we¡¯ve been observing you, we noticed that your body has been using magic uncontrollably.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been in a coma? And I have magic?¡± The girl, who was no longer a girl, but a woman in her thirties, stared blankly at the ceiling trying to recall everything the doctor had told her. However, she couldn¡¯t remember anything. ¡°Doctor, why don¡¯t I remember any of this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you''re a psychic magic user. Your overuse of psychic magic while you were in a coma wiped your memories.¡± The doctor placed his clipboard down on a table by the doorway, then pulled up a stool to sit next to her. ¡°What you should know is that your name is Elisia. And your memories will come back to you in time. Even the memories you made while you were comatose.¡±

    ¡°How can I make memories while comatose?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a psychic mage who works in the hospital. Once you started showing signs of magic depletion we called him in. He tried connecting with you telepathically a few times, but apparently you were using astral projection. You projected your mind to somewhere else in the world. It¡¯s actually kind of impressive that you were capable of such a thing. I was told that you were a real prodigy, though.¡±

    Elisia became light-headed from the shock of everything she had heard. She lay down on her bed, trying to remember anything. Unfortunately, her memories were blank. ¡°Doctor, how did I end up here?¡±

    The doctor nervously gulped, then placed his hand on top of Elisia¡¯s to comfort her. ¡°You and a friend of yours were severely injured in an accident. The two of you were hit by a carriage.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Elisia sighed from sadness, then a thought popped into her head. Maybe she could talk to her friend. Doing so might trigger some memories. ¡°Doctor, where is the friend I was with?¡±

    The doctor shook his head remorsefully. ¡°Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t survive the accident.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± It was distressing to hear, but not because she had lost her friend. Elisia couldn¡¯t recall anything about this friend of hers, so it was like hearing that a total stranger died. However, Elisia was convinced that she would start to feel grief if her memories really did return. For now, Elisia just felt numb.

    The doctor continued to talk about the friend who had died in the accident. ¡°Your friend was around the same age as you. The report I have on the incident said she was visiting you from Chrimoria. Apparently, your parents knew each other, and you¡¯d visit her a lot. I think this was the first time she came here, though.¡± The doctor then chuckled. ¡°Your parents said you loved visiting the little apartment your friend and her family lived in. I wonder if that¡¯s where your mind went off during your astral projection spell. I guess we won¡¯t know until your memories come back.¡±

    The doctor decided to leave after that. There was a lot of information she had to process, and he wanted to give her time to process it all. Elisia tried going to sleep, but something the doctor said kept bugging her. ¡°An apartment in Chrimoria. Why does that seem so familiar? It feels like I was there recently.¡±

    Elisia couldn¡¯t recall anything specific; just this vague feeling of gratitude that brought a smile to her face. This feeling made her curious. Curious enough that one day, even if she never got her memories back, she would try to find that apartment. Hopefully then she would understand what about it made her feel so grateful.

 The Case with the Caged Dragon Part 1

    Several days after the incident with the ghost girl, Holden found himself standing in the middle of a strip mall during the afternoon. He was looking up at a thirty-foot statue of the Sage of Commerce. However, it wasn¡¯t the statue that caught his attention, it was Sable, who had plopped himself atop the statue, that was the object of Holden¡¯s focus.

    Sable had a wild look in his eyes as he laughed hysterically while looking down at the people below him. ¡°Ha ha ha. Lowly mortals. Bow down before your superior. I, Sable, am standing high above you all. The higher you are the more superior you are. This is the way of cats. I mean cait-sith. You feed us. You pet us. You treat us to things for free. We are obviously superior. And I am standing higher than any other cat in the city.¡±

    Elliandra just so happened to be in the area. She had heard whispers from other elves in the strip mall about a cait-sith acting all crazy on top of the statue of the Sage of Commerce. Elliandra was curious, so she went by the statue, and was surprised to find Holden staring up at Sable, who was still ranting on and on about being superior.

    Elliandra couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the ridiculous scene while walking up to Holden. ¡°I always thought that cats thought they were superior to everyone and everything else. I guess this confirms it.¡±

    Holden groaned when he saw Elliandra appear behind him. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s wrong with him?¡±

    ¡°I gave him catnip.¡±

    Elliandra laughed even harder at Holden¡¯s response. ¡°Really? How long has he been like this?¡±

    ¡°About five minutes. We were doing some grocery shopping, and I got curious when I saw catnip. Who knew this would be the result.¡±

    After another ten minutes passed, Sable had finally regained his senses. The cait-sith quietly climbed down with his ears tucked. Sable remembered everything he had said and done, filling him with embarrassment. He then walked over to Holden and Elliandra, who were both still standing in the spot they had been watching Sable from. ¡°What was I just doing?¡±

    Holden gave Sable a sideways glance laughing with his mouth closed. ¡°Oh. Do you not remember? I can repeat everything you said.¡±

    The fur on Sable¡¯s back stood up from anger as the cait-sith growled at Holden. ¡°Stupid human. That question was rhetorical. Don¡¯t think I forgot that you¡¯re the one who gave me catnip.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re the one who was just acting like a stuck-up fool. How¡¯s it go again? ¡®I am a god. Bow down before me, inferior mortals.¡¯ Was that it, Sable?¡±

    Sable growled again. ¡°Holden, I swear, I¡¯m going to smother you in your sleep.¡±

    Elliandra laughed at Holden and Sable¡¯s usual bickering. It was then she noticed something peculiar about their interaction. ¡°Hey, did you two just refer to each other with your actual names?¡±

    Both Holden and Sable¡¯s eyes popped. It was true that Holden would usually call Sable ¡®cat¡¯, while Sable would refer to Holden as ¡®stupid human¡¯ or ¡®chopped liver¡¯. However, that had changed recently, at least in private. In public, the two of them were still embarrassed to admit that they were starting to get along.

    ¡°It¡¯s only natural,¡± Sable insisted. ¡°Calling him Chopped-Liver all of the time is a mouthful. So, sometimes I use his actual name.¡±

    Elliandra crossed her arms in disbelief. ¡°Sure. Whatever you say, Sable.¡±

    Holden and Sable parted ways with Elliandra soon after, making their way back to Holden¡¯s office. They didn¡¯t have any jobs waiting for them, so they spent most of their time sitting around, until they heard a knock at the door.

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    Holden jumped to his feet, and found a shaggy looking man on the other side. The man reeked as if he hadn¡¯t bathed in days, his clothes were torn up, and everything else about him seemed disheveled. However, Holden was familiar with this man, because they had met a few days prior while investigating the disappearance of a sword.

    ¡°What brings a drifter like you here?¡± Holden asked, stepping outside to talk to the man.

    ¡°I saw it,¡± the man said in a raspy voice. ¡°I saw the dragon. In the alley. Last night.¡±

    ¡°Did you say dragon? Are you on something right now?¡±

    ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯m perfectly sober. But I¡¯m telling you, I saw it. Green scales. Poisonous breath. A long tail. It was trapped in a cage that they were dragging through the streets.¡±

    Holden took a step back, bumping into the door by accident to avoid the man¡¯s foul breath. ¡°Did you tell the police? This seemed like a problem for them.¡±

    The man nodded his head. ¡°I did. I did. They didn¡¯t believe me. Said I was deranged. Said I was crazy.¡±

    ¡°You must have hated that.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no, no, no, no, no. They¡¯re right. I usually am crazy. I see things. Strange things. Weird things. Things that don¡¯t make my sense. But not last night. No, last night my head was clear. No voices. No hallucinations. Just complete clarity. But then I saw the dragon.¡±

    Holden and the man both suddenly heard a scratching sound coming from the other side of the door, along with Sable¡¯s voice. ¡°I bet you it was the red pixie. Their kind can create illusions. It must¡¯ve been her.¡±

    ¡°Cat, what is it with you and this red pixie? Not everything is the red oxide¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the man said once again. He then gestured for Holden to follow him. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll show you. Come on.¡±

    Holden rolled his eyes, opened the door to let Sable out, then followed the man. Holden and Sable followed the man all the way to the edge of town. There was a large sewer manhole that led out into a marshland. It seemed that much of the city''s sewage spilled out into this particular spot.

    Sable twitched his nose at the repugnant smell. ¡°The man must live in this alley. What do we call you anyway?¡±

    ¡°Atticus,¡± the man said. ¡°You can call me Atticus.¡± He then pointed to the sewer manhole. ¡°Right over here is where it happened. There was a dragon in a cage. A bunch of men took it into the sewers.¡±

    Sable tilted his head toward Holden. ¡°This man¡¯s definitely crazy. Why are we even here?¡±

    Atticus¡¯s lips twitched from irritation. ¡°Everyone thinks I¡¯m crazy. But I¡¯m not. I want you to look into this.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re private investigators,¡± Sable said, sticking his chin up at Atticus. ¡°We don¡¯t just investigate things for free.¡±

    Holden clicked his tongue at Sable. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that the red pixie was involved? I thought you¡¯d be jumping at the chance to investigate this.¡±

    While Holden and Sable were bickering back and forth, Atticus shoved his hand into his pocket to pull out an old pocket watch. The watch was made of silver. The back of the pocket watch was engraved with a pegasus standing on its hind legs. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you with this.¡±

    Sable didn¡¯t seem at all impressed with the watch. The only thing the cait-sith said about it was that it looked shiny. However, Holden¡¯s jaw dropped when he saw the engraving, because it was the symbol of an elite group of soldiers in the Western Confederacy known as the Skyborn Calvary. The Skyborn Calvary was a special forces group from another city-state within the Western Confederacy called Shieldfelt, which was also known as the Fortress City, or the City of Warriors, since it procured the finest warriors in the Western Confederacy. The engraving was that of a pegasus mounted by a warrior clad in light armor.

    ¡°You used to be a member of the Skyborn Calvary?¡± Holden asked, surprised given Atticus¡¯s disheveled appearance.

    ¡°No.¡± Atticus grumbled. ¡°This was-.¡± Atticus paused for a moment, then continued. ¡°This was given to me by a friend.¡±

    Holden could tell Atticus was lying. However, there was a somber expression on Atticus¡¯s face, leading Holden to believe there was more to the story. Regardless of that, the watch Atticus was offering had immense value both monetarily, and as something he could use for a cover identity. Either way, Holden wouldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity to acquire such an item.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the case.¡±

    Sable¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What? Really? You¡¯re going to take the case just for a simple pocket watch?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good deal. You don¡¯t have to help me with this one. It¡¯ll require another trek through the sewers, and likely the Undercity, too.¡±

    Sable¡¯s face contorted at the thought of spending all day in the sewers. ¡°It¡¯s. I mean. The red pixie might still be involved. The sewers are where she was last seen. I¡¯m going.¡± Sable paused, then groaned when he thought of the sewers again. ¡°Let¡¯s just get this over with.¡±

    ¡°Your funeral, Cat.¡± Holden said as he made his way toward the sewer manhole. Sable jumped onto his shoulders, and Atticus followed closely behind. Holden then walked through the large, open manhole, plugging his nose as the group stepped in. ¡°Why do I get the feeling I¡¯ll never get this stent h out of my nose?¡±

    ¡°This better be worth it, Holden,¡± Sable sneered. ¡°I already have a feeling we¡¯re in for more than we bargained for.¡±

 The Case with the Caged Dragon Part 2

    Holden, Sable, and Atticus spent several hours drudging through the sewers looking for any signs of the supposed caged dragon Atticus claimed to have seen. While Holden was motivated at first, those feelings were now starting to wane after exploring the dank and funky smelling sewers without anything to show for it.

    ¡°Sable,¡± Holden grumbled while speaking in a low voice so he didn¡¯t draw Atticus¡¯s attention. ¡°You might''ve been right. This guy is just crazy.¡±

    ¡°Told you,¡± Sable said. ¡°The guy¡¯s probably dusted out of his mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to agree. What drug has got this guy so dusted he started seeing things?¡±

    The term dusted was slang in the world of Thanador for someone who was high. It originated from the fact that things like fairy dust and pixie dust were common ingredients for narcotics.

    Holden and Sable both sighed. Sable then asked, ¡°What do we do now? Do we ditch him? He¡¯ll probably pester us if we just leave him here, though.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Holden said. ¡°Maybe we should-.¡±

    Piter, piter, piter! Sable suddenly heard the sound of feet slashing around in the sewers, and climbed onto Holden¡¯s head. ¡°Wait. What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Ouch.¡± Holden yelped when he felt Sable¡¯s claws jab his scalp. ¡°Watch the claws, Cat. What are you talking about? I don¡¯t hear anything?¡±

    Piter pat, piter pat, piter pat! The sound grew closer. It sounded like whatever was making that noise was coming toward them. Holden was able to hear it now, and drew the daggers he kept on his belt. He entered a defensive stance, prepared for a fight. Atticus stood behind him, waiting to see what would happen.

    Piter patter, piter patter, piter patter! The slashing grew louder and louder. There wasn¡¯t much light within the sewers, leaving Holden¡¯s vision obscured by the darkness. It was so dark that he likely wouldn¡¯t see whoever, or whatever was making that sound until the very last second.

    Holden gnashed his teeth. The sounds were so close that he could tell whatever it was would be on them any second. Holden was about to swing his dagger when he suddenly saw a familiar goblin appear before him, running with an armful of stuff in a rucksack.

    Ahh! The goblin screamed when it saw Holden¡¯s dagger rushing toward it. It dropped the rucksack it was carrying, and covered its face with its arms. Several items from within the sack, presumably stolen items, spilled out on the ground.

    Holden stopped his swing just in time to avoid slashing the goblin. He then exhaled heavily, and sheathed his daggers. ¡°It¡¯s just this thing again. What was your name?¡±

    Holden and Sable had encountered this goblin before during their investigation to Mathias¡¯s missing sword. This goblin wandered the Undercity all day picking pockets, and stealing trinkets that might be worth something. Apparently, it used the sewers to hide out,. Holden assumed it probably had a home here as well.

    The goblin clicked its tongue. ¡°You never asked for it. Jerks. Everyone always treats the goblin like some kind of savage monster.¡± The goblin then crossed its arms. ¡°Since you asked, you can call me Spat. And I¡¯m a guy. Not like you humans could tell the difference anyway.¡±

    Holden scratched the back of his head. It was true. Many races had a problem identifying a goblin¡¯s gender, because their appearances were rather androgynous. Their voices were all deep and raspy, and goblins all wore rags. There were no obvious features that would help anyone with a keen sense of smell that was able to distinguish between a male and female that would be able to tell the difference without looking at their genitals. Who would even want to do that in the first place?

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    Holden cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry, Spat. We¡¯re here looking for something. There were some people dragging a caged dragon through the sewers last night. Did you see them?¡±

    Spat had begun picking up everything he had dropped, but paused when he heard Holden¡¯s question. ¡°A sewer dragon? You¡¯re really looking for a sewer dragon? Those things are just myths parents tell their children to keep them from running around in the sewers.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say a sewer dragon. I said a caged dragon being drug through the sewers.¡±

    Spat continued picking up the things he dropped. ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t seen dragons of any kind. Who told you such a ludicrous tale anyway?¡±

    Holden gestured toward Atticus, who was still standing behind him. The goblin then grunted. ¡°Are you sure that guy isn¡¯t dusted? Kind of looks like the type.¡± The goblin then shut his eyes while reaching for the last bit of things he had dropped. ¡°Regardless, nothing unusual happened around here last night. So, you can look for your fairytale sewer dragon elsewhere.¡±

    Holden put his foot on the goblin¡¯s hand right as it reached for the last object on the ground. ¡°You closed your eyes then. What are you hiding from me?¡±

    ¡°I blinked. What¡¯s with you? Are goblins not allowed to blink?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me. You closed your eyes so I couldn¡¯t see them. You were trying to cover up a lie.¡± Holden then slowly started putting more pressure on the goblin¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Soat yelped. ¡°You¡¯ll break my hand like that.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me what suspicious activity happened here.¡±

    ¡°Are you threatening to hurt me of I don¡¯t talk? What a jerk.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t crush your hand. I¡¯ll just restrain you, and walk you back to the Undercity. I¡¯m sure the residents will be happy to finally catch the goblin whose been swiping things from their pockets.¡±

    Soat shrieked at Holden¡¯s threat. ¡°Alright. Alright. I¡¯ll talk. I¡¯ll talk. Just take your foot off my hand, please.¡±

    Holden removed his foot, but kept his daggers in hand in case Soat tried to go back on his word. ¡°So, what happened?¡±

    Spat sighed, while picking up the last thing he had dropped and stuffed it into the rucksack. ¡°I didn¡¯t see a cage or a dragon. I did see some people I¡¯d never seen come through here before. Couldn¡¯t make out their faces, since they wore cloaks. But I did follow them for a while.¡±

    ¡°Where to?¡± Holden asked.

    ¡°To the west side of town. I think they left the sewer through a manhole leading up to-.¡± Soat paused while trying to recall the name of the street. ¡°I think it was Caster Street. But I could be wrong. They also had backpacks on them. Not sure what was in them. My best bet is they were drug runners, or something.¡±

    ¡°Drug runners,¡± Holden said, scratching his chin. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Drug runners make their products in the Undercity, then run them through the sewers and distribute them on Caster Street.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sable interjected. ¡°But why do they use Caster Street?¡±

    ¡°It was Chrimoria¡¯s entertainment district about a decade ago, until they built a new one on the east side of town. It used to be a place where high society gathered. Now it¡¯s just a bunch of low lives, stupid kids, and other idiots who just want to get dusted.¡±

    ¡°Suppose this is the city of merchants. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised there would be a thriving drug trade.¡±

    Holden nodded his head. ¡°Yeah. And as much as I hate to admit it, this might have something to do with the fairy trafficking ring we uncovered.¡±

    ¡°Wait. Really? Sable said with excitement. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the pixie really is involved. This is definitely worth dredging through the sewers for.

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Holden said, stopping Sable before he got too excited. ¡°I¡¯m just saying it might have something to do with the fairy trafficking ring. Fairy dust is often used in narcotics. Of course, that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean your kidnappers were using fairy dust for the same purpose.¡±

    Spat waved his hands around to get Holden and Sable¡¯s attention. ¡°Uhm, am I good to go now? Or do you need something else?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re good,¡± Holden said. ¡°Right after you show me where you first saw the suspected drug runners. Also, if you know any local dealers, bows a good time to speak up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone dealing in drugs. But I can show you where I saw them.¡±

    Spat led them all further into the sewers. The place where the goblin had first spotted the suspected drug dealers was near an entrance to the Undercity, meaning that was the next stop after inspecting the manhole by Caster Street.

 The Case with the Caged Dragon Part 3

    Holden, Sable, and Atticus parted ways with Spat, then made their way to the manhole leading up to Caster Street.

    Like Holden had said, Caster Street was the old entertainment district of Chrimoria before the newest one over on the east side of town was built around a decade ago. Caster Street was filled with taverns, an indoor theater, an outdoor theater, a few gambling halls, and a couple of night clubs. The most popular of these clubs was a place called the Middows.

    The Middows was the first nightclub ever built in Chrimoria. It had a reputation for being a spot full of music, alcohol, and a place where you could score some recreational drugs, if you knew who to talk to.

    Atticus had decided to stay behind in the sewers while Holden and Sable went to the surface. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to get passed the bouncer in the Middows anyway, so Holden didn¡¯t complain.

    Even though Holden and Sable were finally out of the sewers, they still reeked of it.

    ¡°Bleh,¡± Sable said when he smelled the two of them. ¡°Atticus definitely wouldn¡¯t be let into this club. But I doubt we will either smelling like this.¡±

    Holden reached into his coat and pulled out a wand. He then made a circular motion with it activating the spell inscribed on it. This wand was inscribed with a spell called cleanse. Cleanse was a cantrip that would essentially clean everything in a five-foot radius.

    Wands such as these were commonplace, and easy to make. As long as the one making the wand knew the spell they were inscribing. Wands that used cantrips were easily accessible to everyone, allowing even those who couldn¡¯t use magic to benefit from the spell. There were limitations on the number of times the spell could be used before it had to be recharged with magic, though. There was a total of thirty uses on the wand Holden was using, and it had been recharged recently, making this one out of thirty uses.

    ¡°There,¡± Holden said, stuffing the wand back into the inside of his coat where there were multiple pockets for carrying wands. ¡°Smell that? We¡¯re clean now.¡±

    Sable sniffed the air and scowled. ¡°If we¡¯re clean, then what is that wretched smell?¡±

    Holden sniffed the air. He proved the foul odor of a rotting corpse. The two of them followed the smell to a nearby alleyway where they found Inspector Alwin and a few other officers standing around a dead body.

    Inspector Alwin looked up at Holden, shaking his head in irritation. ¡°You being here can¡¯t be a good thing.¡±

    Holden tipped his hat at the inspector. ¡°Good to see you, too. What do we have here?¡±

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    ¡°You know I can¡¯t tell you that.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Holden then looked at the face of the dead body. They were male, and had pale red skin. His eyes were dilated, and there were little blisters all over his skin. ¡°Overdose,¡± Holden said. ¡°Looks like someone took too many fire crystals.¡±

    Fire crystals were a type of narcotic made by using the ashes from a creature called a fire beetle. These fire beetles were a beetle the size of a human hand that could breathe fire using a flame sack in their stomach. They would also combust, burning to ash upon death. These ashes would be mixed with a few other select ingredients to make small crystals that people would snort, hence the name Fire Crystals.

    ¡°Pretty obvious,¡± Alwin said. ¡°And it looks like he was coming from the Middows. That means this case will be another dead end.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sable asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you go in there and find out who sold to this guy?¡±

    ¡°We could. But we¡¯ve never been able to prove that the Middows is selling people drugs, even though we all know they are.¡±

    ¡°What? How is that possible?¡±

    Alwin put his hands on his hips in irritation. ¡°Who knows. Either the owners are somehow acquitted whenever they''re taken to court. Someone else confessed to the crime. No evidence can be found. Or it somehow goes missing. You name it. It¡¯s likely connected to Leudox.¡±

    ¡°Leudox?¡± Sable asked with a quizzical gaze. ¡°You mean the criminal organization.¡±

    ¡°What else?¡± Alwin said bluntly. ¡°We don¡¯t know much about how far their power and influence goes in Chrimoria. We just know that they have their hands in every type of crime imaginable. Best be on your guard if you plan on snooping around the Middows.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be saying that to you?¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t bother with an inspector snooping around. A couple of PI¡¯s are a different story. You guys don¡¯t play within the rules. Last thing you want to do is get caught. And I¡¯m assuming the reason you¡¯re here is because whatever you¡¯re investigating relates to them.¡±

    Holde didn¡¯t confirm or deny Alwin¡¯s claim. He just bid him farewell, then left with Sable.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Sable asked, seeing that Holden was in a hurry.

    ¡°Back to talk to Atticus,¡± Holden explained. ¡°We¡¯re going to check out Undercity. Then tonight we¡¯ll check out the Middows.¡±

    ¡°Why not ask around about the drug runners?

    ¡°That¡¯ll get us killed. Plus, the Middows is going to be more guarded now that the police or here, and someone OD¡¯d. We¡¯ll come back tonight when things have died down.¡± Holden opened the manhole and started climbing down.

    ¡°Bleh! That smell,¡± Sable said, gagging from the sewer stench. ¡°This place is going to be busy at night.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I got a plan that¡¯ll use a large crowd to our advantage.¡±

    Once Holden was off the latter, Atticus came running up to him. ¡°Did you find the dragon?¡± Atticus asked, rolling up his sleeves to scratch his arms.

    It was obvious Atticus hadn''t bathed in days. Holden took potty on the man and used the wand of cleansing on him. Atticus still looked disheveled, but at least he was clean.

    ¡°There was no dragon,¡± Holden said as he started to walk off into the sewer toward Undercity. ¡°There was a dead guy. Died from overdose. Police are on the scene. We¡¯ll come back later. Also, it looks like Leudox might be involved.¡±

    Atticus¡¯s flinched at the mention of Leudox. ¡°Oh. That¡¯s complicated. Though it makes sense. They are involved in every kind of crime imaginable. Will my pocket watch still be rough? All I want is for you to find the dragon anyways.¡±

    ¡°Just find it. Not save it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Finding it will be enough.¡±

    Holden gave the man a confused look, but decided not to ask his motive. ¡°If you just want me to find this thing, that watch will be enough. Wasn¡¯t looking forward to taking on Leudox anyways.¡±

 The Case with the Caged Dragon Part 4

    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.¡±

 The Case with the Caged Dragon Part 5

    After learning all they could about Leudox, Holden and Sable made their way back to Caster Street. Holden had donned the face changing mask to alter his appearance, so he looked like a different human male. He also found a new set of casual clothes to wear beneath his coat rather than their usual bottom up and trousers he typically wore. Holden also changed the coat¡¯s appearance to resemble a more casual jacket instead of a trench coat.

    It was nightfall by the time Holden and Sable left the sewers and arrived on Caster Street. Holden pulled out the wand of cleansing and said the trigger word ¡®clean¡¯ to rid themselves of the sewer¡¯s odor. They then proceeded to the Middows.

    The club known as the Middows was two stories tall, and was the largest building on the street. There was a wooden sign that hung above the door with the club¡¯s name written on it. There was a bouncer at the door: a burley human wearing a tight shirt which showed off his bulging muscles.

    Holden and Sable could hear music playing from inside the club. It was an upbeat, fast-paced tune perfect to dance to. The bouncer patted Holden down, confiscating the daggers and wands on his person before letting him into the building.

    Upon entering the building Holden and Sable noticed the place was packed full of people. The front room of the building itself was an open-air design with the dance floor taking up most of the space.

    There were a few balconies overlooking the dance floor from above. Each balcony was large enough to hold a table for six, and appeared to be reserved for wealthy clientele, given the fact that everyone currently on the balconies were well dressed in exquisite looking attire with expensive jewelry.

    There was a door in the back leading to another part of the building, along with a bar counter beside the door where a man was serving drinks to patrons.

    Humans, elves, dwarves, beastfolk, and a few other races made up the patrons on the dance floor. Most of which were dancing along to the music. The musicians themselves were located on stage raised a few feet above the floor. They had various different instruments on stage.

    Holden noticed one of the musicians take a sip out of a glass of water he kept on the stage beside him.

    That was when Sable asked, ¡°So, what is this ingenious plan of yours?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Holden said. ¡°You¡¯re going to distract everyone while I sneak into the back.¡±

    ¡°Just how am I going to distract all of these people?¡±

    Holden smirked and gestured for Sable to follow him. The duo made their way through the crowd of dancers toward the stage where Holden reached into his pocket and pulled out a pill. It was something he had used several times during his days as a spy. It was a pill that dissolved in water that would knock out whoever drank it.

    Holden looked around to make sure no one was watching him, then tossed the pill into the musician''s water glass. The pill instantly desolated, then Holden proceeded to the next stage of the plan.

    There were various pockets in Holden¡¯s coat which allowed him to conceal small objects. Hence why he was able to slip a few things past the bouncer. Aside from the knock-out pill, Holden also managed to conceal some catnip.

    ¡°Oh Sable,¡± Holden said, bringing out the catnip and holding it right in front of the cait-sith¡¯s nose. ¡°Go for the catnip little kitty.¡±

    Sable¡¯s eyes widened. He then slinked back. ¡°No. Not that. You¡¯re trying to make me act like a fool like I did in the market. No way.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Holden then continued waving the catnip in front of him. ¡°It¡¯ll cause the perfect distraction.¡±

    Sable grumbled. ¡°Catnip is like alcohol for cats.¡± He started drooling while looking at the catnip. ¡°Oh alright. It¡¯ll definitely cause a huge distraction.¡±

    Holden began petting Sable¡¯s head while the cait-sith sniffed the catnip.

    ¡°Sable, you¡¯re a god among mortals.¡±

    Sable stood tall and proudly. ¡°Well, of course I am. But go on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a god of the arts and music with all the lyrics you write.¡±

    Sable nodded his head. ¡°Of course. Of course.¡±

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The musicians whose water Holden had spiked suddenly passed out in the middle of a song. The crowd booed as the rest of the band carried him off the stage. That was when Holden implemented the next stage of his plan.

    ¡°Sable,¡± Holden said. ¡°These people came to be entertained. Why don¡¯t you entertain everyone with your angelic voice.¡±

    Sable¡¯s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. It was something the cait-sith would never have had the courage to do, but under the sedative effects of catnip he had become more excitable. Sable teleported onto the stage, and raised his voice.

    ¡°Lowly mortal. Bow your head before me.¡± Heads in the room turned toward the cait-sith¡¯s boisterous voice. ¡°Since the lowly musicians couldn¡¯t daine to continue, I shall serenade you all. This is called ¡®Life of a Fey Cat¡¯

    ¡°From alley to alley, I live on the streets.

    Searching so far for the sweetest of treats

    You cannot all fathom my story of woe.

    No matter the begging the answer is no

    They don¡¯t understand just how hungry I am.

    I can¡¯t make my food, so I¡¯m stuck in a jam

    So, day to day I go

    From trash to trash

    It¡¯s balderdash.

    All I want is some food.

    Some fish like tuna

    That be the best fortuna

    I dream of a day, full of food and of play

    But mostly I lay in the sun¡¯s golden ray.

    But I¡¯m sad to say, that life just said nay.

    Bu that is okay, for I am a fay.

    When we die we don¡¯t decay, we just poof away.

    Nobody knows how I feel.

    For I am just a wretched cat.

    Nobody knows how I feel.

    For I am just a pusy cat.

    A pusy cat, who just knows that.

    His life¡¯s a tragic, story-act.

    In some crazy twisted world.¡±

    Holden chuckled while making his way to the back door which led further into the building. Some from among the crowd were pointing and laughing, saying they had seen a cait-sith acting like that in the market earlier that day. Others looked confused, because all they could hear was a cat meowing. Regardless, Sable was able to distract the entire room. Several of the guards even rushed through the crowd to grab Sable, leaving the door Holden was aiming for unguarded.

    Once Holden made his way through the door unnoticed, he found himself in front of three hallways: one going forward, one going left, and the third going toward the right. Down the left hallway were a set of stairs leading up to the second floor. Holden decided to avoid that direction, since there was a good chance he¡¯d run into several people.

    The hallway going forward had various doors, while the hallway on the right led to a kitchen where food was being made, presumably for the guests on the balconies overlooking the dance floor.

    Holden was about to walk down the hallways going forward, when he suddenly heard a man¡¯s voice right behind him.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    Holden went for his daggers, only to remember they had been confiscated at the front. Instead, he swung his fist while turning around. However, the man skillfully ducked below his punch.

    ¡°Would you calm down?¡± The man said. ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy, Holden.¡±

    Holden kept up a defensive pose while examining the man¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t recognize the man, yet he had an idea who it might be. They were obviously wearing the same mask as him to alter their appearance, but Holden recognized the voice. ¡°Alwin, infiltrating the Middows on your own time? What¡¯s a man of the law doing here?¡±

    The man smirked. ¡°Perceptive as ever. You¡¯re lucky I was the one working the bar. If it were the man whose identity I stole, your cover would be blown.¡±

    ¡°I doubt the real bartender would¡¯ve noticed me.¡±

    ¡°Fair point. What is it you¡¯re looking for again? Some caged dragon? I can assure you it¡¯s not here. I¡¯ve been all over this building and found nothing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Well, that fact that you¡¯re here in disguise means there¡¯s something fishy about this place. You usually wouldn¡¯t infiltrate a place like this yourself unless you had a personal stake in the matter.¡± The two of them paused, then Holden continued. ¡°So, do you have a personal stake in this?¡±

    The two of them suddenly heard people coming down the stairs, so Alwin gestured for Holden to follow him. They made their way down the hallway straight in front of them, and ducked into one of the many rooms. It was a bedroom that was unoccupied at the moment, giving them the privacy they needed to talk.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Holden asked.

    ¡°You know how I like to do things off the books?¡± Alwin replied. ¡°Well, I did that after we found that guy who OD¡¯d. Thought I¡¯d sneak in here to see if I could get some info on where their Crystal Blaze is coming from. Turns out I came across something else.¡± Alwin then pulled a sealed vial of dark green gas and showed it to Holden. ¡°It¡¯s poisonous gas from a Nox-Dragon.¡±

    ¡°You mean a marsh dragon?¡±

    ¡°No. Nox-Dragon. They¡¯re a rare and intelligent species who emit poison gas constantly. They have to live in secluded places, otherwise they kill everyone around them.¡±

    ¡°So, the Leudox are using this for assassinations.¡±

    ¡°Not quite. It¡¯s used in a drug they just call Nox. It can induce rage, a massive adrenaline rush, and temporarily enhances strength.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a berserker drug,¡± Holden jeered. ¡°Let me guess, they plan on distributing this stuff. This means the green dragon isn¡¯t a marsh dragon. But one of these nox-dragon things.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Alwin then slapped the vial of poisonous gas into Holden¡¯s hand. ¡°If you want to find this nox-dragon, you¡¯ll have to take this. Now get out of here. I¡¯m going to see what else I can dig up about their operations.¡±

    ¡°Wait. Alwin,¡± Holden said before Alwin left. ¡°Where¡¯d you get this?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re mixing the stuff in the basement. Rumor has it someone¡¯s been going around hitting all their drug labs in the Undercity. So, they decided it¡¯d be safer to mix it here after extracting it from the nox-dragon. Be careful. Seems like we¡¯ve stumbled across something big.¡±

    Alwin the left the room to return to the bar. Holden stayed behind to look at the vial for a brief moment. ¡°Something big indeed. Seems like our fairy traffickers just might be involved. Wonder if the pixie is the one destroying the drug labs.¡± Holden shrugged his shoulders, then left the room.

 The Case with the Caged Dragon Part 6

    Holden returned to the main room of the Middows. Sable was no longer onstage, so Holden left the club all together. The moment he exited the building somber moans began echoing throughout the streets.

    Holden followed the sounds of the moans to an alleyway where Sable was rolling around in embarrassment.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I sang that song.¡± Sable jumped to his feet once Holden arrived, then hissed at his partner. ¡°How could you make me do that? This is pet abuse. Pet abuse I say.¡±

    Holden leaned down and ruffled Sable¡¯s head. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t a cat.¡±

    Sable tucked his ears back in surrender having realized he just referred to himself as Holden¡¯s pet. The cait-sith then moaned again. ¡°Did you at least find anything useful? Maybe I¡¯ll be able to regain some of my pride if you gained something out of it.¡±

    ¡°No chance. I found something. But it was Alwin of all people who deserves all the credit.¡±

    ¡°What!? So, I put myself through all that humiliation and Alwin ends up breaking the case.¡± Sable then flopped on his stomach. ¡°Kill me now. I want to die.¡±

    ¡°Look on the bright side. You¡¯re probably going to be famous after this. People will be talking about Sable the Singing Cat for days now.¡±

    ¡°Die, human. Die.¡±

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll stop giving you a hard time about it. We should get back to Ike¡¯s Pub, though. Alwin unfortunately was the one who broke the case for us.¡±

    ¡°Yes. And now we can confirm they¡¯re the ones behind the kidnapping of myself and the fairies. We can finally put a close to the mystery of the fairy traffickers.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too eager, Cat. We don¡¯t have enough to put these guys away. There¡¯s still a ways to go.¡±

    ***

    Holden and Sable returned to Ike¡¯s Undercroft Pub via the sewers. Holden then put the vial of nox-dragon gas on the counter in front of Ike, and said, ¡°Leudox has a new drug.¡±

    Ike, Scalia, and Camille all gave Holden a peculiar look as if they didn¡¯t recognize him. That was when Holden realized he still had his face-changing mask on. Everyone¡¯s eyes popped when he removed the mask, Holden then explained to them everything he had learned from Alwin.

    ¡°Nox-dragon?¡± Atticus reiterated, confused by the sudden revelation. ¡°Did I really see a nox-dragon?¡± Atticus started scratching his beard, contemplating everything he remembered when he saw the caged dragon. ¡°The cage was small for a dragon. Gas was constantly leaking out of it. Its scales were green. I guess it could be a nox-dragon.¡± Atticus then frantically shook his head. ¡°No, no, no. It must¡¯ve been a marsh dragon. A marsh dragon. Not a nox-dragon. Nox-dragons are small. Like goblins. What I saw was at least the size of a human.¡±

    Holden shrugged. ¡°Well, this nox-dragon is our best lead at the moment. It¡¯s worth looking into. Plus, I can¡¯t think of anyone other than the Leudox who could¡¯ve taken a caged dragon through the sewers anyway.¡± The whole room paused, except for Atticus, who was mumbling something to himself. That was when Holden had to ask, ¡°What is your obsession with this dragon anyways? Why do you care so much?¡±

    Atticus stopped mumbling and sighed. ¡°I was saved by a marsh dragon in the desert many years ago. You can say helping this dragon is paying back an old debt.¡±

    Holden tilted his head. Everyone else had similar looks of confusion, so Atticus elaborated on his story. ¡°It was when I was in the military. My squad ran into a visions monster. Most of us were wiped out. I survived but fell unconscious. All I recalled was seeing a long, green tail and scales before I lost consciousness. I found myself in a hospital once I regained consciousness without any idea how I got there. My memory is foggy after that for a while.¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°I think I understand now,¡± Holden said. ¡°Well, regardless of whether what you saw was a marsh dragon, or this nox-dragon.¡± ¡°Holden then held the vial of poison gas up in the air. ¡°Finding where they¡¯re producing this stuff might give us the answers we need.¡±

    Sable jumped onto the counter to get a better look at the vial. ¡°And how do you propose we find it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s been studying magic. I figured you might already know.¡±

    ¡°I only started studying a few days ago. I¡¯m far from an expert.¡±

    ¡°Even though you¡¯re a god among mortals?¡± Holden jeered.

    Sable growled, then huffed. ¡°Enlighten us then, Mr. Genius.¡±

    ¡°Gladly. We¡¯re going to cast a locator spell using this vial¡¯s contents as the main material.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. I see,¡± Sable said sarcastically. ¡°And how are we supposed to do that? You can¡¯t use magic. I can only cast minor teleport. Atticus can only use that one fire spell. I doubt anyone else here can use it, otherwise they would¡¯ve said something right now.¡±

    Holden ruffled Sable head. ¡°We don¡¯t need to worry. So long as we have a magic user we can use it.¡± Holden then reached into his bag and pulled out a small pocketbook. ¡°I got this during a job off a wizard. He didn¡¯t need it anymore, so I took it just in case.¡±

    ¡°Do you always take things off people ¡®just in case¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve had my eye on a certain cait-sith¡¯s gem for one of these ¡®just in case¡¯ situations.¡±

    Sable immediately covered the gem on his forehead with his paws. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    Holden smirked, then proceeded to flip through the pocketbook.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Camille said to Holden and Sable. ¡°The two of you must be close if you can joke around like that.¡±

    Holden and Sable both said in unison, ¡°No we¡¯re not.¡± The two of them then scowled at one another before Holden returned to sifting through the book and Sable started licking his paws.

    Holden suddenly snapped his fingers. ¡°Found it. Ike, by chance do you have a map of the Undercity? I have everything else we¡¯ll need.¡±

    Ike walked behind the counter after Holden¡¯s question. ¡°Yeah. Give me a sec.¡± He then opened a cabinet behind the counter, dug through it for a few seconds, then pulled out a map. ¡°Right here. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°No. That should be enough,¡± Holden said. ¡°So long as what we¡¯re looking for is actually in the Undercity. I¡¯ll include a map of Chrimoria and its outer vicinity just to be safe.¡±

    Holden then pulled the maps he mentioned out of his bag, along with a compress. The spell they were preparing required a few specific conditions to be met. First was having a map of the general vicinity where the target was located. Second was something that belongs to whoever they were tracking. The vial of gas Alwin gave Holden worked for this requirement. Third was a magic circle for the caster to pour their magic into.

    The magic circle for this spell resembled a compass with magic tunes written inside, and a needle pointing north. Another condition was that the needle was drawn facing as close to true north as possible.

    Ike brought out a can of paint and a brush. Everyone began painting the magic circle in an open spot on the floor, while Holden held the book open for reference as the others painted. Sable just sat on the counter watching them with a look of boredom on his face.

    Sable sighed and decided to ask Holden a question. ¡°How is it that a wizard is able to make a ritual spell book that¡¯s so small.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, the rumor I heard was that a fairy actually drew all the pictures and writing using a quill made from the feathers of one of the smallest birds in the world.¡±

    ¡°And what job was this again? Spy or PI?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s classified.¡±

    ¡°So, spy then.¡±

    The others stopped painting the magic circle and were just staring at Holden and Sable. Holden glared at the cait-sith, then cleared his throat.

    ¡°Yes. I was a spy. Espionage. Assassination. All of that was part of my job. Can we get back to what¡¯s important now?¡±

    Everyone continued drawing the magic circle. Once it was done, they had to wait for the paint to dry so it wouldn¡¯t smear, then spread all of the maps they were using in the middle of the circle. With everything else finished, Atticus held the vial of poison gas in his hand pouring magic into the circle, and began chanting the spell. A glowing white dot appeared in the middle of the magic circle. It started moving around the different maps until it finally settled in a location on the map of Undercity.

    ¡°It¡¯s there,¡± Ike said, a bit surprised plastered on his face. ¡°That¡¯s not as far as I thought.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about it?¡± Sable asked. ¡°Is it well known?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say well known. Just obvious. There are a bunch of warehouses there. Plus, a large underground lake. You¡¯d think Leudox would hide something like a marsh dragon, or nox-dragon. Whatever it is, in someplace more discrete.¡±

    ¡°Is there a problem with its location other than its lack of discretion?¡±

    ¡°The fact that there are a lot of criminal organizations storing things there means there will be a lot of eyes on us if we head there. Since we¡¯re not associated with any organization, we¡¯ll be targeted by all sorts of groups.¡±

    ¡°Is that it?¡± Holden said with a smug smile. ¡°Let me take care of getting us in there. No one will be the wiser.¡±

 The Case with the Caged Dragon Part 7

    Holden and the others made their way to the location the locator spell marked as the spot where the nox-dragon was being held. The group consisted of Holden, Sable, Ike, and Atticus. Since Scalia and Camille weren''t fighters, they stayed behind at the pub.

    Holden had donned his face-changing mask once again, along with a set of light leather armor, and the saber Ike had kept after capturing Sorten. Holden used the mask to change his face to look exactly like Sorten¡¯s. He also tried emulating the beastfolk¡¯s voice as closely as possible.

    When the group arrived in the warehouse district by the underground lake, several heads turned in their direction. However, most of those people gave the group a wide birth.

    Holden grinned triumphantly. Sorten was one of the most wanted criminals in Chrimoria, so Holden knew the reputation the beastfolk carried. He was temperamental, ferocious, and a skilled fighter. Word of his capture hadn''t been announced yet, so Holden decided the best way to enter this district unnoticed was to use his identity.

    They wandered around for a few minutes looking for any signs of the warehouse where the nox-dragon was being held. The locater spell wasn¡¯t able to give them the exact warehouse, since they didn¡¯t have a map of this district itself. All it was able to show them was it was on the side closest to the lake.

    The group ended up making a few passes by each warehouse. Unfortunately, it was impossible to tell which warehouse belonged to the Leudox. They found a spot between two warehouses that was out of sight. From their Holden and Sable both climbed to the roof of one of the warehouses, and began scouting the rooftops, peeking into each warehouse through windows or cracks in the ceilings in order to figure out what was inside. One of the warehouses caught Holden¡¯s interest while he and Sable were learning into it from a small hole in the roof. Only a small corner of the warehouse was visible. Within that corner, there were a couple of men setting down crates with a black flame painted on the side.

    ¡°This is interesting,¡± Holden said with a devious smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to repay my favor to Alwin with this information.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sable asked. ¡°All I see are men with boxes. Why would Alwin be interested in that?¡±

    ¡°Ask him sometime. It¡¯s not my place to say anything. All I can say is he¡¯s got his own personal interest in the people who own this warehouse.¡±

    Holden and Sable then moved onto the next warehouse. The roof didn¡¯t have any holes in it, so Sable had to teleport down to a window ledge in order to look inside of it. The warehouse was dark, making it difficult even for a cait-sith with excellent night vision like Sable to see what was inside. Sable was about to give up and return to Holden when a faint blue glow suddenly appeared within the warehouse.

    A man glowing blue suddenly walked out from behind a bunch of stacked plates. The man was tall and lanky with goosebumps all over his body. He wore a bandana that covered his mouth, along with a sleeveless shirt, revealing a tattoo with a blue wolf standing in a black circle on his left arm. The man walked back behind the crates.

    Sable watched for a few more seconds until the glow disappeared. He then teleported back up to the roof to inform Holden of what he saw.

    Holden scratched his chin in contemplation. ¡°A glowing man with a blue wolf tattoo. Not sure about the tattoo, but the glowing part likely means he¡¯s a warlock.¡±

    Warlocks were a type of mage who gained the ability to use magic by forming contracts with magical creatures. The contract formed a connection between the souls of the creature and the warlock, allowing the magical creature to send a portion of their magic and magical knowledge to the warlock. There were often side effects whenever a warlock used magic. Some were benign, like glowing. Others could be more serious, such as losing memories every time magic was used. The side effect and its severity usually depended on a few factors, many of which still remained unknown to magic scholars to this day.

    Holden and Sable returned to Ike and Atticus, and explained what Sable had seen.

    ¡°So, a warlock with a wolf tattoo,¡± Ike said. ¡°That¡¯s definitely one of Leudox¡¯s warehouse. The blue wolf tattoo is the symbol of the Volvik family of the far north. The fact that one of their men is here means there¡¯s something important in that warehouse.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Holden said. ¡°We didn¡¯t see much else in there. We have no clue what we¡¯re walking into.¡±

    The four of them were determined to put an end to this case. Holden, Sable, and Atticus all wanted to solve the mystery of this dragon Atticus had seen the night before. Meanwhile, Ike was eager to get back at the Leudox for his own personal reason. Regardless of why, they were all determined to break into the warehouse no matter what awaited them inside.

    The door leading inside was locked, so Holden pulled out another tool he kept in his bag of tricks. It looked like a key without any grooves. It was known as a thief¡¯s key, which allowed the user to pick a lock with greater ease than the typical lockpick. Usually, a skilled lockpicker could get through a door such as this within a few seconds to a couple of minutes. Spies didn¡¯t always have this kind of time, so this magic tool was created to reduce that time.

    Thanks to the tool, Holden was able to pick the lock in only a couple of seconds. He quietly opened the door, creeping through with the others staying close behind him. He signaled them to remain quiet before moving deeper into the warehouse.

    The warehouse was full of various crates, none of which were marked with anything to suggest what their contents were. They eventually found themselves in the spot where Sable had seen the warlock with the wolf tattoo. However, there were no signs of anyone else in the entire warehouse.

    Holden suddenly broke the silence. ¡°Something¡¯s not right here. Why would this warehouse be unguarded? Any ideas, Ike.¡±

    Ike shook his head. ¡°No clue. Maybe we should try breaking into these crates and see what¡¯s inside. Might give us a clue.¡± Ike took a deep breath while pulling back his fist, then with one quick and powerful thrust, he broke straight through one of the crates with a single punch. He found nothing more than sealed bags full of coffee beans. ¡°You¡¯re kidding. Coffee beans. Is this whole place just full of-.¡±

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    Holden interrupted his tirade. ¡°Coffee beans are used to cover the smell of drugs. Dogs and other creatures with an acute sense of smell usually won¡¯t notice the smell of drugs when they¡¯re hidden among them.¡±

    ¡°But then where-.¡±

    Ike was cut off once again. This time it was by the sound of grinding stone coming from behind the group. Part of the floor opened up, and a group of three men wearing bandanas to cover their mouths came walking out of a stairwell in the floor.

    The man leading the trio was the warlock with the blue wolf tattoo. ¡°Hey, who are you?¡± The man growled, not even bothering to wait for a response before magic started gathering in his hands. He created an arrow of ice which he hurled at Hilden and the others.

    Bam! Atticus quickly countered with a fire shot spell. It wasn¡¯t powerful enough to completely melt the ice. It did knock it off course, causing the ice arrow to miss the group and embed itself into one of the crates.

    Holden and Ike then charged forward, while the two men escorting the warlock met them in the middle.

    Cling, cling! Holden drew two daggers, while his opponent wielded a sword. Their weapons clashed against one another. Holden¡¯s daggers put him at a severe disadvantage in this situation, since daggers were meant purely for defense, not offense. The best he could do was parry each sword strike, then kick his opponent in the knee to throw them off balance.

    Agh! The man yelped when Holden kicked him in the knee, falling to the ground from the pain. Holden then disarmed him, while driving a dagger into his throat.

    Ike¡¯s fight went a little differently. He didn¡¯t have weapons, just his fists. Despite not having a weapon, Ike faced his opponent without a hint of fear. He swiftly ducked and dodged every swing and thrust, grabbing the man¡¯s arm the moment he had an opportunity. Ike then drove his elbow into the man¡¯s arm, snapping it in half before flipping him over, dislocating the arm all together. He then finished the man off with a swift jab, breaking the man¡¯s nose in the process.

    The immense pain and shock knocked the guy out, leaving the warlock as the last opponent.

    The warlock gnashed his teeth. He had been throwing ice arrows at Holde and the others, only for Atticus to continuously deflect their trajectory using fire shot spells. Once Holden and Ike dealt with their opponents, the warlock stopped throwing ice arrows, switching to casting a larger spell.

    Large amounts of ice magic began gathering in the warlock''s hand. It was enough to cause Atticus to panic. ¡°Run! He¡¯s casting a higher ranked spell. I won¡¯t be able to deflect it!¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sable said, running as fast as he could toward the warlock, then teleporting directly onto the warlock¡¯s face. Sable drove his back claws into the warlock¡¯s eyes, causing him to release the spell too early.

    A cone of ice magic shot up to the roof like freezing air. Both Hilden and Ike then closed the gap, punching the man in the stomach hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Holden followed up by jabbing a knife into the warlock¡¯s neck, finishing him off for good.

    Holden used a piece of the warlock¡¯s short to wipe the blood off his dagger, then sheathed it. He then looked down the stairwell where he saw the light of a fire down below.

    Holden gestured for the others to follow him. The four of them slowly and quietly made their way down, finding a large basement with several cages scattered about. All of them were empty, except for one. This cage contained a human sized creature that was humanoid in shape. It looked like a lizard walking on two legs with light green scales. There was also gas permeating out from his body.

    ¡°Stay back,¡± the lizard man said in a rhapsody voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are. But I heard you fighting the ice mage. Please, if you inhale my noxious gas, you¡¯ll die.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes popped when they heard the lizard man talk. Atticus started trembling while putting his hand on his head. ¡°It¡¯s a nox-dragon. But it¡¯s so big. They¡¯re supposed to be small. How?¡±

    The lizard man, which was now identified as a nox-dragon, groaned. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Most nox-dragons are small because they live in toxic environments created by their own poisonous gas. Those who only live in one place will suffer from this. It stunts their growth both physically and mentally. However, there are those of us who wander. We breathe fresher air. Grow taller and stronger. We even trade with other races.¡±

    Atticus took a step closer to the nox-dragon with arms spread out. ¡°I was in the desert once. My whole squad except for me were killed by a monster. It must¡¯ve been one of your people who saved me then.¡±

    The nox-dragon raised its head, and looked into Atticus¡¯ eyes. ¡°When was this?¡±

    ¡°Three years ago. I saw a tail with green scales. Thought it was a marsh dragon. Must¡¯ve been one of your kind.¡±

    ¡°There are those among our kind who are lone wanderers. I was one before I was captured. I¡¯ve come across many humans in peril myself. Though I don¡¯t recognize you. Likely wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    Atticus dropped his arms. This revelation was a lot to take in. He sat on the ground, trying to calm his racing heart.

    Meanwhile, Holden and the others decided to look around the place for a way to release the nox-dragon. Aside from the cages, there were frozen vials filled with the nox-dragon¡¯s gas, along with some that had become liquid. It appeared they were somehow trapping its gas within the vial, then freezing it with the warlock¡¯s ice magic. Once it melted into a liquid state, they mixed it with other ingredients to make the drug known as nox.

    ¡°How do we release this guy?¡± Hilden asked no one in particular.

    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± the nox-dragon said. ¡°Leave me here. If I walk around in a city like this, my poison gases will kill numerous people.¡±

    Holden thought for a moment about who might be able to help him in this situation. A few people came to mind, but only one of them had the power to actually do something.

    ¡°I need you all to stay here,¡± Hilden said. ¡°Watch over this warehouse. I know someone who can help us.¡±

    ***

    Holden made his way through the sewers and to northern Chrimoria as fast as he could. The cool night air rushed by him as he ran through the streets. He reached one of the police precincts in the northern city. It was the third precinct run by none other than Captain Hardfall.

    Holden burst through the door, slamming his hands down on the front desk, startling the officer sitting behind it. ¡°I need to talk to Captain Hardfall. Now. It¡¯s a matter of utmost urgency.¡±

    The officer shrieked back. ¡°Whoa! Calm down there. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I found the location of a trafficking ring and a drug lab in the Undercity. There¡¯s a captive nox-dragon there. The place is owned by the Leudox.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. We can¡¯t go into-.¡±

    The officer was suddenly interrupted by Captain Hardfall¡¯s booming voice. ¡°Hold up there, officer.¡± He then spoke to Holden. ¡°I rennet you. You¡¯re that PI that Elliandra knows. You saying you found a Leudox drug lab with something called a nox-dragon? Explain yourself.¡±

    Holden divulged everything that had happened starting with Atticus hiring him for a job to the infiltration of the Middows, and their discovery of the warehouse where the nox-dragon was held captive. He did leave out the part about Alwin going undercover and giving him information. Holden altered that by saying he overheard two Leudox members talking about it, then acquired a sample of the nox-dragon¡¯s gas that was just lying around.

    Captain Hardfall furrowed his brows after hearing Holden¡¯s story. ¡°You have any ideas how many laws you just broke. I could run you in for breaking and entering, assault, and so much more.¡±

    ¡°But you won¡¯t,¡± Holden said. ¡°Because I¡¯ve just given you the justification to go down there and clear the place out. They¡¯re holding an intelligent species captive. That¡¯s grounds for you to act.¡±

    Captain Hardfall grunted. ¡°As much as I hate to admit it, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll gather some men. You show me the way.¡±

    Captain Hardfall gathered every officer he could and followed Holden to the warehouse in the Undercity. Once the captain confirmed the nox-dragon¡¯s presence, he immediately took action to ensure its release, along with gathering all the evidence they would need to prove the Leudox¡¯s involvement.

 The Case with the Caged Dragon Epilogue

    Several days later, Holden and Sable were sitting in their office. Holden proudly stared at the pocket watch Atticus had given him as payment when Sable suddenly hopped onto the desk with the newspaper in his mouth.

    ¡°Hey, Hilden,¡± Sable said, patting the newspaper with his paw. ¡°Check out the front page.¡±

    Holden stuffed the watch in his pocket, then read the headline. It read Leudox Drug Lab Discovered in Undercity. Rare Intelligent Species Known As Nox-Dragon Held Captive In Warehouse.

    Holden smirked when he read Through the entire article. ¡°So, they managed to free the nox-dragon and get him out of the city. Guess they had to clear the streets of Undercity to get it to the sewers, then wait for the gas to disperse. Captain Hardfall¡¯s got to be pissed at me for making him do all that work.¡±

    ¡°Yes indeed,¡± Sable concurred. ¡°Though he should be grateful, too. Thanks to our efforts, the police department had enough evidence to prosecute some of the Leudox¡¯s men. Enough that they abandoned their operations in the Middows.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But they¡¯ll probably set up elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°I heard something else actually. Apparently, several of their drug labs have been attacked recently. No one knows who did it, though.¡± There was a lingering silence after that before Sable changed the subject. ¡°Now what of Alwin? You said something about laying back a favor you owed him back when we were in the warehouse district.¡±

    ¡°Yes. He said we were square for him providing me with the information about the nox-dragon. Not sure what he¡¯s going to do with that information, though.¡±

    ¡°You still aren¡¯t clear with me about that guy. What exactly is his deal?¡±

    Holden set down the newspaper, and grinned at Sable. ¡°Let¡¯s just say you¡¯re better off not getting involved. Knowing will come back to bite you. Plausible deniability is your friend here.¡±

    ¡°So, he¡¯s a spy just like you. Probably for the same nation as you, since you two know each other so well.¡±

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    Holden ignored Sable¡¯s theory by changing the subject. ¡°We discovered who was behind the trafficking of magical creatures thanks to him. Why not let him be?¡±

    Seeing as he wasn¡¯t going to get anything out of Holden, Sable decided to drop the subject. ¡°That¡¯s true. I guess you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll leave it be. I¡¯m just disappointed we didn¡¯t find the red pixie. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d target the Leudox given their involvement in trafficking.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of criminal organizations involved in trafficking. Your red pixie could be targeting any of them. She could¡¯ve even been involved in the attacks on the Leudox drug labs.¡±

    Sable huffed. ¡°I¡¯ll catch that red pixie. With that in mind, I¡¯m heading back to the Grand Library to study.¡±

    ¡°Okay then.¡± Holden then put his feet up on the desk, and pulled out the pocket watch he received from Atticus to continue staring at it. ¡°Finding the red pixie. Stopping the trafficking of magical creatures. There¡¯s so much corruption in this city.¡± Holden then sighed. ¡°I guess I entered the right profession. There¡¯s no end to the depravity of the city of merchants.¡±

    ***

    Later that evening, Alwin donned his face-changing mask to look like a man with a grey face and long black hair. He wore black leather armor that covered his entire body, and wielded a rapier, along with a bow and arrow.

    Alwin had taken the information Holden had provided and attacked the warehouse where Holden had seen crates marked with a black flame. He initiated his assault by setting fire to the warehouse with magic, then shot everyone who fled the buildings with his bow and arrow.

    Once people stopped fleeing, Alwin jumped to the ground. He drew his rapier, preparing for the last man walking out of the building.

    Alwin talked to the man with an altered voice much deeper than his real one. ¡°You¡¯re the leader of the Black-Flame Mercenaries. What are you doing here in Chrimoria?¡±

    The man grimaced at Alwin. ¡°You burnt down my warehouse just to ask me that question?¡±

    ¡°No. I just thought I¡¯d confirm what I already know. You were hired to purchase supplies and weapons who I plan to kill. I just have to draw them out.¡±

    Alwin charged forward swinging his rapier. His opponent drew a long sword, parrying Alwin¡¯s blow. However, Alwin quickly recovered, and used magic to enhance his speed. The sudden burst in speed caught the man off guard, allowing Alwin to cut his arm off.

    The man¡¯s eyes went wide from shock before he fell to his knees at Alwin¡¯s feet. ¡°Who are you? Why are you doing this?¡±

    Alwin huffed. ¡°This city is full of corruption. I¡¯m going to root it out at its source.¡± He then brought his rapier down, chopping his opponent¡¯s head off with a clean cut. Alwin then walked away, disappearing into the streets of Undercity.

 The Case with the Stolen Manuscript Part 1

    It was the day after Holden and Sable resolved the issue with the ghost girl haunting their apartment. The two of them were asked to go to the Chrimoria Police Department¡¯s 4th precinct. This precinct was on the east side of town, and Captain Hardfall, the police captain who arrested Sable¡¯s kidnappers, was in charge of this precinct.

    At first, the duo was concerned because they thought their escapades into the secret vault that housed the Residential Files had been discovered. However, it turned out the inspectors in charge of investigating the whereabouts of the red pixie, and any others who might¡¯ve been involved in the fairy trafficking ring, just wanted to reconfirm Sable¡¯s testimony about the incident.

    After talking to the inspector for over an hour, Holden and Sable were finally allowed to leave.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± Sable said in an exacerbated tone of voice. ¡°What was even the point of this? I just told them the same story over and over again. It was a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°My guess is they hit a dead end in the investigation,¡± Holden suggested. ¡°They were probably hoping re-interviewing all of the witnesses would give them some fresh ideas on how to approach from here. Uncovering something like a fairy trafficking ring that potentially involves government officials isn¡¯t an easy task.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I guess I see your point.¡±

    Right as the duo made their way past the front desk, they overheard a mod-aged human man arguing with the officer at the front desk.

    ¡°Please, I need your help,¡± the middle-aged man pleaded. ¡°My manuscript was stolen. That was my life¡¯s work. Please, you need to help me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± the officer replied. ¡°Most of our officers are tied up right now. We¡¯ll get to it when we can.¡±

    ¡°But I need to get my manuscript back. What is so important that every officer in this precinct is busy?¡±

    The officer cleared his throat and stared at the ground. ¡°There¡¯s a very important person whose gone missing. We have every officer in this precinct looking for her. I¡¯m sorry. There¡¯s no one available to help you at the moment.¡±

    Holden smirked as he sauntered on over the the front desk with Sable. ¡°You know, officer, this reminds me of an incident that happened last year. A wealthy merchant paid the captain of a precinct to find his daughter, who ran away to south Chrimoria with some- I think they called the boy a gutter rat. Some poor kid.¡±

    The officer clicked his tongue. ¡°Hate not what¡¯s going on. An arbiter of the Mages Union disappeared, so every precinct is busy looking for the guy.¡±

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    ¡°An arbiter? I see why you¡¯re so busy.¡±

    Holden pawed at Holden¡¯s leg to get his attention. ¡°What exactly is an arbiter for the Mages Union?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a fancy way of saying judge. A judge from the Mages Union has gone missing.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s certainly a pickle,¡± Holden said. ¡°Maybe they should hire us; I bet you we could find that arbiter before the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re getting a little cocky.¡±

    Sable huffed. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been learning a lot lately during my visits to the Grand Library. I¡¯d say I¡¯m quite the detective now.¡±

    ¡°Are you really?¡± The middle-ages man said, hands trembling with anxiety. ¡°Then could you please find my manuscript?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re PI¡¯s; not inspectors. In other words, our services aren¡¯t free.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten rather full of yourself, Cat,¡± Holden said, rolling his eyes before turning to the middle-aged man. ¡°But he¡¯s right. We don¡¯t work for free. If you¡¯re willing to pay, we¡¯re willing to help.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the middle-aged man eagerly agreed. ¡°I¡¯d be willing to pay you anything. My name¡¯s Randy, by the way.¡±

    Holden slapped Randy on the shoulder. ¡°Alright then, Randy. Come with us. Let¡¯s talk about your problem, shall we?¡±

    ***

    Holden and Sable took Randy to an outdoor seating area a couple blocks away from the precinct. This seating area had several food stalls on the outer fringes where the stall owners were cooking their own unique dishes, essentially making the place an outdoor food court.

    The three of them found an open table where Holden began asking Randy about his stolen manuscript. ¡°So, what exactly is this manuscript of yours? You some kind of author?¡±

    Randy nervously nodded his head. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m a mystery writer. Not a very successful one, but a good one nonetheless. Selling books is rather difficult, you know. It¡¯s-.¡±

    Holden gestured for Randy to stop. ¡°We¡¯re getting a little off topic here. Tell me about the manuscript. Why would someone want to steal it if you¡¯re not that successful?¡±

    ¡°My stories can still sell well. I¡¯m just not very well known. It¡¯s hard getting into the world of authorship. Even those who are successful have to keep writing to make money. You have no idea how hard it is to keep coming up with new ideas. There have been so many times where I¡¯ve gotten writer¡¯s block-.¡±

    Seeing as Randy was getting off topic again, Holden interrupted him. ¡°Randy, why would someone want to steal your manuscript?¡±

    ¡°Right. Sorry. I¡¯ve been writing a new series with new characters, a lot of humor, twists, turns, and all that. But I think one of my competitors caught wind and targeted my manuscript. I think someone stole it, and intends to publish it themselves.¡±

    ¡°Are writers always afraid that someone¡¯s trying to steal their work?¡±

    ¡°Oh, all the time, Mr. Holden. People say we¡¯re paranoid. Worried about nothing. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re the sage of literature, or something like that. That¡¯s what people tell us authors anyway. But I know it; I feel it in my gut. Some stole my work.¡±

    Holden could immediately tell he was going to hate this job. Dealing with Randy was exhausting in and of itself, because of his tendency to babble. That simple fact made Holden wonder if part of the guys popularity issue was because of the fact that he didn¡¯t know when to shut up. Regardless, Holden agreed to take this job, and would see it through until the end. ¡°Alright, Randy. I need you to tell me everything about your competitors. Are there any who hate you in particular? Are there any who might be in a rut that might motivate them to take action? Is there anyone you collaborate with? Tell me everything. But please try to keep it brief.¡±

    Randy nodded his head, then went on to answer all of Holden¡¯s questions. Like Holden feared, Randy kept going off on rabbit trails, making the conversation take much longer than it needed to.

 The Case with the Stolen Manuscript Part 2

    After their conversation finally ended, Randy left to return to his apartment so Holden and Sable could get started on their investigation. The moment Randy was gone, Holden moaned while stretching his arms. ¡°My god. How can some talk that much?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Brandish friend of yours the same?¡± Sable pointed out. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just the artistic types who just have their heads up in the clouds all of the time.¡±

    ¡°You mean like a certain cait-sith who thinks up poems and song lyrics when he thinks no one is looking.¡±

    Sable covered his face with his paw, recalling the incident in the Middows the other day where he started singing. ¡°Please, don¡¯t remind me of my shame.¡±

    ¡°Still reeling from the Middows. You know, the singing cat made headlines the other day. You can have a real career as a comedian if you keep this up.¡±

    ¡°Could we get back to the case, please,¡± Sable groaned. ¡°Who are our prime suspects? I dozed off during Randy¡¯s explanation.¡±

    ¡°Randy¡¯s publisher is a company called RavenEye Publishing,¡± Holden began to explain. ¡°They have a printing press in the city, along wth a couple of other authors who are currently living in Chrimoria. The RavenEye publishing house focuses exclusively on mystery. One of those other authors was struggling with their latest manuscript, and was even in danger of being let go by the publishing house. He should be our first suspect.

    ¡°There also Irene & Eloquence. They¡¯re one of Thanador¡¯s largest publishing houses that distributes to virtually every country. They have a publishing house here in Chrimoria, too. Along with a local mystery writer. Though there isn¡¯t enough to go on to say they¡¯re a real suspect.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Sable said. ¡°isn¡¯t it possible that a burglar could¡¯ve just broken into Randy¡¯s apartment, and stolen it without any ulterior motive? I mean, a manuscript by an author could sell on the black market to the right people.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be a difficult thing to sell without a buyer lined up. It wouldn¡¯t be worth targeting otherwise.¡±

    ¡°So, then our first suspect is this other author with RavenEye. What¡¯s his name? And where can we find him?¡±

    ¡°Samuel Howe. But before we question him, we should gather more evidence. We¡¯re going to start with Randy¡¯s apartment, then go from there.¡±

    ***

    When Holden and Sable arrived at Randy¡¯s apartment complex. It was a simple two story brick building in northern Chrimoria with stairs on the outside leading to the second floor. The first place they went to was the front desk of the lobby. There was a male elf standing behind the desk with a bored look on his face. He greeted Holden and Sable in a monotone voice when they walked up to him.

    ¡°Hello. Welcome. What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re investigators,¡± Holden explained. ¡°One of the residents had something stolen directly from his apartment. It would¡¯ve been a manuscript. Do you know anything?¡±

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    The elf man sighed. ¡°Oh. You¡¯re talking about Randy. Like I told him. There was no one unusual walking into the building yesterday. Just the resident and the typical guests I see coming and going pretty frequently. Nobody out of the ordinary.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? Do you work the desk the entire day?¡±

    ¡°The other guy who works this desk didn¡¯t see anyone either. If my word isn¡¯t enough, you can talk to him yourself. He lives in apartment 10 here on the first floor.¡±

    Holden and Sable took the man¡¯s advice. They knocked on the door of apartment ten where a dwarf woman answered the door.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± She said, brimming with anger. ¡°Do you know what time it is? I work the night shift, and I¡¯m about to go to sleep. So make it snappy.¡±

    Holden remained unfazed by her crabbiness. ¡°I¡¯m investigating Randy¡¯s stolen manuscript. Did you happen to see any unusual visitors coming through here last jight. Or maybe even the jight before?¡±

    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t. That coot probably just misplaced it or something. His apartment¡¯s a mess. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it were buried underneath something. Or if the idiot accidentally threw it out himself without even realizing it. Do yourself a favor and quit this pointless case.¡± The woman then slammed the door in their faces without another word.¡¯

    Holden and Sable decided it would be best to ask Randy¡¯s neighbors just in case they saw something that neither of the receptionist it¡¯s at the front desk had seen. It took them about an hour to get to each apartment. Not very many people were home since it was the middle of the day, and the few that were claimed they didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary.

    The duo''s next stop was Randy¡¯s apartment to get a look at the scene of the crime. Holden knocked on the door, and Randy looked a bit surprised to see them.

    ¡°What brings you two here?¡± Randy asked. ¡°You would happen to have solved the case already?¡±

    Holden waved his hands in denial. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. We wanted to take a look at your apartment. Search the scene of the crime. You know how it works.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I understand. Come on in.¡±

    Randy let them inside, and they quickly realized that the dwarf woman¡¯s claim that Randy¡¯s apartment was a mess was an understatement. The entire floor was covered in paper, some of which was crumbled up into balls.

    Sable read one of the pieces of paper on the floor by the doorway. It looked like it was part of a story, so he was compelled to ask, ¡°Are you sure your manuscript isn¡¯t spread out all over the floor? It looks like you have an entire series on the ground here.¡±

    Randy made a dismissive gesture. ¡°No. No. I¡¯ve looked through all of them. Plus, my entire manuscript was bound together. These are all just indivual pages. Trash really. A bunch of old idea that I threw out because I¡¯m they didn¡¯t sound right, or the story wasn¡¯t good.¡±

    ¡°Every think of a trash can?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no time for that while I¡¯m writing. Every second wasted might cause me to lose an idea. Can¡¯t afford to waste time. Please do feel free to look around. Search through the papers if it makes you feel better.¡±

    Holden and Sable immediately started sifting through the piles of paper on the floor. Holden also took the opportunity to inspect the doors and windows for any signs of tampering, but found nothing. The window in Randy¡¯s bedroom was open. When asked about it, Randy said he often kept it open because it got really stuffy inside of the apartment.

    ¡°It¡¯s the red pixie,¡± Sable said partially in jest. ¡°Or other oixies. Could be fairies, too.¡±

    ¡°Cat, you¡¯re paranoid,¡± Holden replied. ¡°You think everything is the red pixie¡¯s fault.¡± Another question came to Holden¡¯s mind after that brief exchange. ¡°Hold on, Randy. You said that your manuscript was stolen at some point when you were gone this morning. Is it possible it might¡¯ve been gone before you even woke up?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Randy said. ¡°I thought I saw it on my desk this morning, though. It had to be while I was gone to get coffee this morning.¡±

    Holden went back to looking at the window after that. It was open wide enough for a small person to climb through. That included dwarves, fairies, goblins, or anything else around the size. It was also possible a person could¡¯ve opened it completely, snuck in, stole the manuscript, then returned it to its partially closed state. Regardless, the window was something Holden would keep in mind during his investigation.

 The Case with the Stolen Manuscript Part 3

    Holden and Sable made their way to the apartment of their first suspect, which was located on the east side of Chrimoria. The suspect¡¯s name was Samual Howe. Samual and Randy had a long standing rivalry. Even though the two of them were writers for the same publishing house, there was a competitive streak between the two of them for who was the most successful author. In reality, it was hard to guage who was the better author, since the difference in terms of book sales was negligible between the two of them.

    Holden and Sable arrived at the suspects apartment. Holden knocked on the door, but there was no response. He then put his ear to the door, listening intently for any sounds coming from within the apartment.

    ¡°Does seem like anyone¡¯s home,¡± Holden said. ¡°Can you teleport inside?¡±

    Sable scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve told you a hundred times. I need line of sight, and there can be any solid objects in the way.¡±

    ¡°What if you were looking through a hole? Could you peek under the door into the apartment, and teleport from there?¡±

    Sable was about to rebuke him, but stopped. The cait-sith hadn¡¯t considered that before. When Sable thought about it, it seemed theoretically possible. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll work. I¡¯ve never tried it before.¡± Sable curiously looked underneath the door. He couldn¡¯t see much , but it was enough. Sable used minor teleportation, appearing on the other side of the door. ¡°Well, that¡¯ll be useful. Now how to let the human in?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Holden said. ¡°I got my lockpicking tool on me. Just need you to confirm the coast is clear.¡±

    Sable scanned the room for any signs someone was here. It was a small living area connected to a kitchen and dining area. There was a desk withstacks of paper in the corner of the living area, a couch at the center, a small dining table near the kitchen, and a door that lied just beyond. It was the only other door in the room besides the front door to the apartment.

    Sable quietly ran over to the door, and looked beneath it. He teleported though, arriving in a bedroom where there was a man sleeping on the bed. Sable quickly teleported back into the living area, then made his way back to the front door where he informed Holden that he had seen Sam sleeping in the other room.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in there in a sec,¡± Holden said. He then used his lockpicking kit to break into the apartment. The first thing he noticed when stepping inside was the papers scattered on the desk in the corner. Holden made his way over to it, looked through the stacks in hopes of finding Randy¡¯s manuscript. The papers were all pieces of a manuscript, but not the one they were looking for.

    ¡°Murder, Love, and Mystery,¡± Holden said, holding up the first page of Samuel Howe¡¯s manuscript in hand and reading the title aloud. ¡°A murder/mystery about a male and female detectives who started out as partners. The duo hates each other at first, but as they get wrapped up in a mysterious murder involving the city¡¯s mayor, the two start to fall madly in-love.¡± He then tossed the manuscript back on the desk. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this will sell. Then again, I¡¯m not much of a mystery fan.¡±

    ¡°^You¡¯re a detective,¡± Sable said. I figured you¡¯d love a good mystery.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s like saying someone should love romance just because they¡¯re married. Besides mystery novels frustrate me. They¡¯re not a reflection of reality. It¡¯s like most mystery writers don¡¯t understand what real detective work requires.¡±

    In the midst of their conversation, the bedroom door creaked open. Samuel Howe walked out rubbed his head and groaning as if he were hung over. The man didn¡¯t even notice Holden and Sable¡¯s presence until he flopped onto the couch.

    ¡°What the-. Who are you?¡± Samuel asked Holden, still not aware of Sable¡¯s presence, since the cait-sith was beneath his line of sight.

    ¡°This is awkward,¡± Holden said, scratching the back of his head. ¡±We¡¯re a couple of PI¡¯s.¡±

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    Samuel Howe started looking around once Holden said the words ¡®we¡¯re¡¯ expecting to find another person in the room with him. However, the only thing he saw was Sable, albeit the cait-sith looked like an ordinary black cat to him. ¡°What? Why¡¯s there a cat in here?¡±

    ¡°The cat is my associate,¡± Holden explained, much to Samuel¡¯s bewilderment.

    ¡°You work with a cat? Can you talk to animals or something?¡±

    Holden chuckled at the man¡¯s question, while Sable scowled. His hatred for being treated as a regular house cat caused the cait-sith anger. ¡°Holden, would you tell him that I¡¯m a cait-sith so he can understand me already?¡±

    Holden shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the cat. Right now, I¡¯m the only one you need to focus on. I¡¯m looking for a stolen manuscript. I think it was titled Fractured Memories.¡±

    Samuel clicked his tongue when he heard the title. ¡°That¡¯s the novel Randy was working on. So, somebody stole that nitwits manuscript. Ha serves him right.¡±

    Sable gave the man a knowing look. ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    Samuel turned to Sable, only hearing a meow rather than any actual words. ¡°What¡¯s the cat meowing for? Can you get it out of here? I¡¯m not really fond of pets.¡±

    Sable growled at the man, only to shriek when Holden picked him up. ¡°I¡¯ll put him outside so we can talk.¡± Holden then placed Sable down in the hallway, closed the door behind him, and continued his conversation with Samuel, while Sable scratched and shouted from the other side.

    ¡°Anyways, Mr. Howe,¡± Holden continued. ¡°I have to ask you a few questions.¡±

    Samuel crossed his legs and scoffed. ¡°Is that why you broke into my apartment? To ask questions?¡±

    ¡°I did knock. But you didn¡¯t answer.¡±

    ¡°So, PI¡¯s really do skirt the law like in novels. How quaint. I should contact the police, but this has given me some inspiration for my novel.¡±

    ¡°I think the only thing that¡¯s quaint here is how casual you¡¯re acting, despite the circumstances. You realize you¡¯re being accused of stealing a rival author¡¯s work. One would think you¡¯d be a little nervous, especially since I just broke into your house.¡±

    Samuel snuffed his nose at Holden. ¡°Are you kidding me. I know I¡¯m innocent, so I have nothing to worry about. We might be rivals, but I¡¯d never stoop so low as to steal his work. Whatever I write is far better then the garbage he comes up with.¡±

    ¡°You say that, yet in terms of sales you two are about equal,¡± Holden pointed out. ¡°Also, according to Randy, this manuscript was his best work yet. He was actually raving about how it was going to put him ahead, especially since you¡¯ve been having writer¡¯s block lately.¡±

    Samuel raised an eyebrow. ¡°What are you suggesting? That I stole his manuscript because I was jealous? I might be in a rut, but even my worst work will outshine his. The only reason our sales are neck and neck is because I can¡¯t shine under such a small publishing house like RavenEye.¡±

    Holden had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. Samuel Howe seemed like the typical narcissist. Always blaming others for failure, while accrediting his own success to his own efforts, while diminishing any contributions anyone else might¡¯ve made. A narcissist like him could lie to their own mother without a shred of remorse, making them more difficult to read.

    ¡°You really believe that, don¡¯t you?¡± Holden asked, unable to catch any signs of Samuel lying. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you sent any of your manuscripts to larger publishing houses? Irene and Eloquence has a printing press here in Chrimoria.¡±

    Samuel huffed. ¡°I have. But those narcissistic jerks wouldn¡¯t know good literature if you hit them over the head with a best-selling title.¡±

    ¡°You mean they¡¯ve rejected every manuscript you¡¯ve sent them, right?¡±

    Samuel didn¡¯t confirm or deny Holden''s theory. He just turned his head and started at the wall, waiting for the question he knew was coming.

    Holden smirked at Samuel¡¯s deflection. He had managed to catch onto another potential motive. ¡°That sounds like another motive. Your work couldn¡¯t get you into one of the larger publishing houses, so you decided to steal your rival''s work, then submit it as your own.¡±

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing here,¡± Samuel said. ¡°And it¡¯s not going to work. I didn¡¯t steal anything. You can even look through my desk if you want.¡±

    Holden looked Samuel directly in the eyes. There were no signs of deception once again, so Holden just sighed. ¡°No need. I already did.¡±

    Samuel¡¯s eye suddenly brightened up. ¡°So, you saw my manuscript then? What do you think of the concept? It combines love, sexual tension between male and female co-workers, and the feelings of comradely that develop between two people who who end up overcoming various challenges and dangerous situations together. It has love, which will appeal to many female readers. And also action for the men. It¡¯s brilliant, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Holden said, scratching his head, keeping his true feelings about it from Samuel. ¡°It¡¯s definitely unique. Good luck with it, by the way. Though, if you do hear anything, I¡¯d ask that you please let me know. You can find my office in West Chrimoria over on Aldermen Way.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, a PI and a cat on Aldermen Way. You must be quite the character. May even be worthy of being my muse in my next novel.¡±

    ¡°Uhm, thanks , I guess.¡±

 The Case with the Stolen Manuscript Part 4

    Catering ending his conversation with Samuel, Holden left the apartment, reuniting with Sable in the hallway. Sable was glowering at him as the duo made their way out of the building.

    ¡°You¡¯re a jerk,¡± Sable said. ¡°I could hear everything going on inside. This was all just a big waste of time.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Holden said. ¡°I doubt Samuel Howe is our culprit given his unwavering co Firenze in himself. I won¡¯t completely write him off, though.¡±

    ¡°Ha. That was a pun wasn¡¯t it? Mr. Grouchy just made a pun.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about, Cat?¡±

    ¡°You said ¡®write him off¡¯. He¡¯s a writer, and we¡¯re investigating a stolen manuscript. I have to say it was very subtle. Still, it was well executed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t do puns. I hate them. They¡¯re stupid.¡±

    ¡°But you just made one.¡±

    ¡°No I did not.¡± Holden crossed his arms as they duo made their way out the door of the apartment building. They then made their way to the next destination, RavenEye¡¯s office and printing press in Chrimoria.

    Sable looked at Holden in confusion. ¡°What are we doing here? Shouldn¡¯t we be talking to the other suspects?¡±

    ¡°Randy only knew where Samuel lived,¡± Holden reminded him. ¡°We¡¯ll have to look up the addresses of the others using public records. But before that, I want to talk to Randy¡¯s editor. Maybe see what she has to say about all of this?¡±

    ¡°Why his editor? What could we possibly learn from them about a stolen manuscript?¡±

    ¡°Think about it, Sable. How would anyone know that Randy¡¯s current manuscript was even worth stealing? Sure, he¡¯s a decent author. But given his success that¡¯s all anyone might think about him. Most people would reasonably treat his claims that this manuscript was his best work yet as bluster to build up hype. The only person who could actually accurately make that assertion would be the only other person who read it, his editor.¡±

    ¡°So, you think the editor might¡¯ve spoken to the thief?¡±

    ¡°Or at least someone who knows the thief. The editor might¡¯ve even talked to one of our suspects about it.¡±

    The two of them entered the lobby of RavenEye¡¯s publishing house. They went up to the receptionist and asked for the editor, whose name was Carla.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the receptionist said with a smile plastered on her face. ¡°But do you have some kind of meeting with her? I don¡¯t recognize you. Are you here to pitch a new story?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re actually-.¡± Holden then stopped himsel, and cleared his throat. ¡°Actually, my associate here is a writer. Though he¡¯s a cait-sith, so he needs me to do the actual writing.¡± Holden then showed the receptionist the briefcase he carried all of his tools in. ¡°I have the manuscript here in my bag.¡±

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    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. I¡¯ll let Carla know you¡¯re here. Please take a seat while you wait.¡±

    Holden and Sable made their way over to the lobby¡¯s seating area. They waited several minutes before the editor finally arrived and brought them into a side office connected to the lobby set aside for editors to talk to perspective authors. The office was bare with nothing more than a wooden table with four chairs around it.

    Holden took a seat on one side, while Sable sat next to him on the table itself. Carla took a seat right across from Holden.

    ¡°So, this cat is the author,¡± Carla said, looking at the gem on Sable¡¯s forehead. Despite being human, Carla had already been told that Sable was at cait-sith, making her able to see the gem and hear Sable talking. ¡°Sorry. Cait-Sith. Not cat. What¡¯s your story about?¡±

    ¡°Well, you see-.¡± Sable paused while nervously staring at the ceiling, trying to quickly come up with something off the top of his head. The first thing that came to mind was their encounter with the ghost girl several days prior. ¡°It¡¯s about a teenage girl who is murdered, and comes back as a ghost. You see she doesn¡¯t have any memories from when she was alive and can only be seen by a grouchy old PI. The two of them end up working together to try to solve her murder.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s a supernatural mystery,¡± Carla said with a look of intrigue. ¡°I like the premise. But let¡¯s take a look at the manuscript.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t actually have a manuscript.¡±

    Carla tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What do you mean? The receptionist said-.¡±

    Holden then cut her off. ¡°Sorry. This was mainly just a ploy to talk to you. My name¡¯s Holden. His name is Sable. We¡¯re both PI¡¯s investigating Randy¡¯s stolen manuscript.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Is that it?¡± Carla shuttered. ¡°So, you have some questions then.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Holden said. ¡°And you look pretty nervous. What do you know?¡±

    Carla started trembling. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that I-. I mean-.¡±

    She continued to stutter, until someone burst through the door shouting her name. It was a middle-aged man dressed in business attire. ¡°Carla, sorry to interrupt you. One of the other editors is falling behind. You¡¯re not busy at the moment, so help him out.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sir,¡± Carla said, still a bit frantic. ¡°I just have to finish talking to these two PI¡¯s about Randy¡¯s missing manuscript.¡±

    ¡°PI¡¯s huh?¡± The man said, glaring at both Holden and Sable. ¡°If you¡¯re not actual law enforcement officers, then leave. We¡¯re a business, and have no time for whatever foolishness this is.¡±

    ¡°One of your authors had their manuscript stolen. I would think you¡¯d want us to solve this quickly.¡±

    ¡°Get out,¡± the man said with a scowl. ¡°I¡¯m the publisher here, so no one¡¯s authority supersedes mine. If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll have you thrown out for trespassing.¡±

    Holden and Sable reluctantly left the building. This was the hardest part of being a PI; they had no real authority, couldn¡¯t get a warrant, and had to rely purely on suspects'' willingness to cooperate. Either that, or they¡¯d have to find a way to coax the information out of them. Fortunately, Holden and Sable had other leads to follow aside from the editor. Though that didn¡¯t stop Sable from complaining.

    ¡°That stupid human. How audacious. How rude. I bet he¡¯s hiding something. He may even be the culprit.¡±

    ¡°You mean the publisher?¡± Holden asked. ¡°I mean, he certainly would know if Randy¡¯s manuscript was a high quality novel. All editors have to report to him. But I can¡¯t really blame him for kicking us out.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that man was right to be so rude to us?¡±

    ¡°Well, think about it. We aren¡¯t law enforcement. I doubt any business would want a bunch of strangers snooping around.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re trying to find one of his employees'' stolen manuscripts,¡± Sable said. ¡°You said it yourself, you¡¯d think he¡¯d want us to resolve this as soon as possible and get that manuscript back.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But I wouldn¡¯t want some strangers wandering around my office asking people questions. Regardless, it doesn¡¯t matter. We need to focus on our next suspect. The other RavenEye mystery writer, Alex Lyons.¡±

 The Case with the Stolen Manuscript Part 5

    Alex Lyons was a new mystery writer working for RavenEye Publishing. Her first name was actually short for Alexadria. She was a dwarf, barely twenty years old, and was considered one of the publishing houses most talented authors. The only reason Alex wasn¡¯t as successful as Randy or Samuel was because she had only written a single novel at this point.

    Alex¡¯s living accommodations weren¡¯t as good as either Randy or Samuel¡¯s. She lived in South Chrimoria in a shanty one room apartment. The area around it was a hot spot for gang activity. Most of these gangs were juvenile gangs made up of teenagers who lived in the slums.

    When Holden and Sable made their way toward the apartment a couple of teenage boys glared at them from the other side of the street. They were both human, and were carrying iron pipes on them. These two kids eventually made a b-line toward Holden and Sable, but stopped all of a sudden when a young woman with curly brown hair came walking out of the apartment building.

    ¡°Hey, you two punks,¡± the woman said, causing the two teenage boys to bolt. ¡°Holden and Sable both turned around, watching the boys flee when the woman shouted again. ¡°Hey, I was talking to you two. The man with the cait-sith standing on his shoulders.¡±

    Holden printed to himself and Sable. ¡°You¡¯re calling us punks? Us? Punks? Did you see those two kids?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I did. But they aren¡¯t the punks. You¡¯re the punks intruding on their territory.¡± The woman closed the distance, then stood with arms crossed right in front of Holden and Sable. ¡°Do you dimwits even know where you are? You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re from this side of town.¡±

    ¡°Careful,¡± Sable whispered into Holden¡¯s ear. ¡°This woman can tell I¡¯m not a cat. She can use magic.¡±

    Holden nodded then turned his attention back to the woman. ¡°We¡¯re here to talk to someone. Do you know an Alex Lyons?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the woman said, cracking her knuckles. ¡°You¡¯re talking to her. So, make it quick. Are you Leudox? Mages Union? Gang from across town? Who you with? Because I don¡¯t got whatever money you''re looking for.¡±

    ¡°Wait. You¡¯re Alex Lyons? RavenEye¡¯s newest mystery author?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Why do you look so surprised?¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I just expected you to look more-.¡± Holden paused for a moment trying to look for a less offensive word then he had in mind. ¡°I thought you¡¯d look wealthier, or something.¡±

    ¡°I live in south Chrimoria,¡± Alex huffed. ¡°I grew up here. Was part of one of the gangs. Walked these streets every day picking fights. I might be a girl but my magic allowed me to overpower every boy and man I came across.¡±

    ¡°I guess mystery would kind of make sense for someone who grew up around crime.¡±

    Sable nodded his head. ¡°Defiantly would¡¯ve been more surprised if you said you were a romance author.¡±

    Alex clicked her tongue. ¡°Who would want to write stupid romance? All that true love nonsense. Prince Charming. Love at first sight. Happily ever after. It¡¯s all fake nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s been single her whole life,¡± Sable jeered.

    ¡°Oh, shut your mouth, stupid cat.¡±

    Holden chuckled at Alex¡¯s retort. ¡°I like this woman. Maybe she could be my new partner.¡±

    ¡°Hey, punks,¡± Alex yelped. ¡°Would you stop acting like a couple of idiots and tell me what you¡¯re doing here? Who you with?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re PI?¡± Holden explained. ¡°We were hired by your fellow author Randy to find his stolen manuscript.¡±

    Alex furrowed her brows at Holden¡¯s statement. ¡°Randy¡¯s manuscript was stolen? That¡¯s an author¡¯s worst nightmare: I bet you the idiot didn¡¯t make any copies either.¡±

    ¡°Yeah it seems so,¡± Holden said, scratching the back of his head. Randy really did seem stupid at the moment now that Alex had mentioned it. ¡°Anyways, we¡¯re looking at all potential suspects. Plus your publisher turned us away before we could talk to anyone at the office.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re wondering if I stole it, then you can stop. I¡¯ve been cooped up in my apartment for the past few days writing my latest novel. This is the first time I¡¯ve left in days. You can verify with the neighbors if you want. Not that they¡¯ll talk to outsiders.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be necessary,¡± Holden said. He had a pretty good idea what kind of woman Alex was just off their first interaction. She was crude, and straight forward. Deception likely wasn¡¯t in her nature. This woman might be difficult to deal with, but people would always know what to expect from someone like her. ¡°With that said, is there anyone at your publishing house that you think would do such a thing?¡±

    Alex tapped her cheek as she thought about Holden¡¯s question. ¡°The publisher seems suspicious. I don¡¯t trust that man. Samuel¡¯s a narcissist, so I doubt he¡¯d ever think he¡¯d need to steal someone else¡¯s work to succeed. As for everyone else. Nah. I don¡¯t think so. But there is another person in this neighborhood who¡¯s in the business who I wouldn¡¯t put it past. The man¡¯s a two-faced, delinquent. Always has been.¡±

    ¡°What are you willing to tell me about him?¡±

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    ¡°Just where he is. Course it¡¯s be nice if you could smack him around a little for me. The guy¡¯s a creep. Always staring at me like I¡¯m some piece of meat for his viewing pleasure.¡±

    Holden laughed. ¡°If he presents me with a good opportunity, I¡¯ll consider it. So, what¡¯s his story?¡±

    ***

    Alex gave Holden and Sable directions to an apartment on the other side of the neighborhood. The apartment belonged to another author named Silas Ainsworth, a successful mystery writer for Irene & Eloquence, one of the largest publishing houses in all of Thanador.

    Irene and Eloquence was a publishing house founded over one hundred years ago by two women. Irene, who was human, was the inventor of the printing press, while Eloquence, who was an elf, was a world famous poet and writer. The two women worked together to distribute literature to the people of Thanador, opening publishing houses in every nation. Irene has long passed from old age. However, Eloquence still runs the publishing house to this day.

    As for Silas, he was a half human and half dark elf, in other words, a half elf. Half elves were always a mix of elf and human. Their ears weren¡¯t quite as pointed as their elf ancestors, but all of them had the ability to use magic. Half-elves also had a longer lifespan than their human parents. The typical human lived on average around eighty years, elves usually 400-500 hundred, and half elves usually lived around 160-180. Silas was pushing 120, and was one of the first authors to sign with Irene and Eloquence when it was founded a century ago.

    With that in mind, Holden and Sable both wondered why someone who¡¯s been in the writing business for so long was living in South Chrimoria. They began speculating about it as soon as Silas¡¯s apartment complex came into view.

    Sable was the one who began the conversation. ¡°You think he fell on hard times? You¡¯d think someone who¡¯s been writing for over a hundred years would¡¯ve made a solid career for themselves by now.¡±

    ¡°Maybe his creativity has been lacking,¡± Holden suggested. ¡°I mean, 100 years is a long time. Plus, 120 is equivalent to late fifties for a human. People can start experiencing severe mental decline around that age. Mages are especially prone to this because of how much strain magic can put on your mind.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s a writer. How often could he have even used magic? It might¡¯ve made sense if he were military, or a healer, or anything else that requires someone to use magic consistently.¡±

    ¡°Point taken,¡± Holden said as he opened the fore to the apartment complex. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out when we meet this guy.¡±

    The duo made their way to Silas¡¯s apartment. When Holden knocked on the door, they heard a man shouting in a hoarse voice from the other side.

    ¡°Leave me be! I have nothing for you!¡±

    ¡°Silas Ainsworth,¡± Holden replied. ¡°My name is Holden. I need to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°Go away! I have nothing to say to you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here investigating the theft of a manuscript.¡± Holden heard nothing but silence from the other side of the door, so he continued. ¡°Can we ask you a few questions?¡±

    The door creaked open, revealing an elderly half-elf man with a scraggly beard, wrinkles all over his face, a hazy eyes which looked like they had lost most of their life. ¡°You said stolen manuscript? Are you really coming to me to investigate a stolen manuscript?¡±

    Holden noticed a glint of joy in the man¡¯s eye. Just what was he so excited about? If anything, Holden thought this man would¡¯ve been more wary of him. ¡°Yeah. An author named Randy¡¯s manuscript was stolen. We¡¯re interviewing suspects.¡±

    ¡°But what about my stolen manuscript? What of mine? Why are the police investigating his, and not mine?¡±

    Holden and Sable were stunned. If what this man was saying were true, that meant Randy wasn¡¯t the only author who¡¯s manuscript had recently been stolen. Was it just a coincidence? Or was there a serial thief going around stealing manuscripts?

    ¡°We aren¡¯t with the police,¡± Holden explained. ¡°We¡¯re PI¡¯s hired by Randy to find his stolen manuscript.¡±

    Sable pawed at Holden¡¯s leg to get his attention. ¡°Holden, might the thief of this man¡¯s manuscript and Randy¡¯s be one and the same?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking that, too. Silas, maybe we can help each other. What can you tell me about your manuscript¡¯s theft?¡±

    ¡°It waa the other day. Some wretched low-life broke into my house and stole it right from under me. I didn¡¯t get a good look at them, since I had just depleted my magic, and was barely able to move because of the backlash.¡±

    Sable titled his head in confusion. ¡°Why were you out of magic? You¡¯re a writer, so what could you be using magic for?¡±

    Silas reached out with a decrepit hand and pet Sable on the head. ¡°You¡¯re a cait-sith. A real rarity to see one. Your question is fair though. I¡¯m a diviner, who can use magic to see through space and time. I use this ability to write by watching historical events. It often inspires my writing.¡±

    Both Holden and Sable were thinking the same thing. Alex had mentioned she pegged Silas as the kind of person who would steal another writer¡¯s manuscript. Was it possible that Silas used divination to steal other writer¡¯s ideas by spying on them? That being said, divination magic was costly because of the materials needed to cast them. Could a writer like Silas afford all those materials? Maybe that expense is why he was living in such a cheap apartment in the worst part of town. It would also explain why he was so decrepit looking. Those who constantly overused magic would experience severe side-effects, one of which included their bodies deteriorating at a faster rate as if they were aging at a faster rate.

    ¡°¡±Watching historical events,¡± Holden reiterated. ¡°But you¡¯re a mystery writer. How exactly does that inspire you?¡±

    Silas chuckled. ¡°A good writer can get inspiration from anything. Though looking through the mortuaries on people who were murdered provides me the best inspiration.¡±

    Holden could tell that Silas wasn¡¯t being fully honest with him. It was as if everything that came out of Silas¡¯s mouth was partial truths. Regardless, Holden didn¡¯t know much about divination magic. Could it allow someone to watch historical events as if they were happening right in front of the caster?

    ¡°Silas, Holden counties to question the man. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you use your divination magic to identify the culprit? Why would you need the police to investigate this for you?¡±

    Silas growled. ¡°Because whoever did it covered their tracks well. They must¡¯ve had some kind of magic item or spell that conceals them from divination.¡±

    ¡°Then what can you tell me about them? Is there anyone you suspect who would target you? Any enemies? Or at least rivals who might be threatened by your success?¡±

    ¡°RavenEye,¡± Silas said. ¡°Any one of those authors might target me. Especially that foul woman, Alex Lyons. How someone so young from the ghetto could write such a good first manuscript is beyond me. She must be stealing other people¡¯s work. Gutter trash like that have sticky fingers. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the thief could block divination, I¡¯d think it was her.¡±

    ¡°But who from RavenEye could possibly-.¡± Holden paused. The image of RavenEye¡¯s publisher popped into his head. ¡°Oh. I think I know. Though it could be someone else.¡±

    ¡°Are you thinking of that jerk, Mars Rent?¡±

    ¡°Mars Rent? Not sure. Who is he?¡±

    Silas scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s the publisher of RavenEye. The man certainly lives rather luxurious for a man in charge of such a small publishing house. He has to be getting money from somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Holden said with a smirk. ¡°I guess the next person we¡¯ll be visiting is Mars Rent.¡±

 The Case with the Stolen Manuscript Part 6

    That evening, Holden and Sable returned to the RavenEye publishing office. Holden donned his face changing mask to alter his appearance to that of an elderly man with wrinkly skin. He and Sable then found a spot across the street from the publishing house, and kept a close eye on it, waiting for the publisher to leave the building.

    The duo witness Mars exit the building about an hour after sundown, then proceed to follow him all the way to his house in eastern Chrimoria. It was a two-story house located in a neighborhood called Saphirra Fall, which was named after the crystal blue river which passed through the neighborhood from outside the city. This neighborhood was also home to wealthy citizens of Chrimoria, most of whom owned large and successful businesses that operated in several cities.

    While RavenEye was considered a successful publishing house; it was small. There was no way the publisher could afford a house in Saphirra Falls off the profits from the publishing house alone.

    The moment Mars walked through the door of his abode, Holden and Sable quietly rushed forward. Holden peered through the window, and saw Mars flopping onto the living room couch. Silas pinched his nose as if he had a headache, then sighed. He then made his way to the kitchen where he began preparing dinner.

    Holden and Sable watched the man for a full hour, while he just went about his business. Sable found himself yawning from boredom wondering why they were just sitting around watching this guy.

    ¡°Holden, what¡¯s the point of all this?¡± Sable asked. ¡°I thought you said we were going to visit this guy. Why are we just staring at him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called spying,¡± Holden replied. ¡°We¡¯re watching to see what he does. Maybe we¡¯ll find a hint to our stolen manuscript. We might even dig up something else to use against him so he¡¯ll let us talk to his employees.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re looking for either evidence, or blackmail material. Typical spy stuff.¡±

    ¡°Welcome to the PI business, spy style.¡±

    Sable tried to keep himself from laughing. ¡°Did you just say ¡®spy style¡¯? And you say I¡¯m ridiculous for writing songs and poetry.¡±

    Holden chuckled. ¡°Need I remind you of the singing cat from the Middoes.¡±

    Sable tucked back his ears in embarrassment. ¡°Oh. The headlines.¡±

    Right as Sable said that, Mars suddenly spoke. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Holden and Sable both sucked in their breaths thinking they had been caught. However, when they looked back into Silas¡¯s living room, they noticed he was face-to-face with someone in a black cloak and mask.

    ¡°Mars, it¡¯s time,¡± the cloaked man said. ¡°Do you have the delivery?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Mars replied. ¡°Give me a minute. I¡¯ll grab it.¡± Mars then went into another room connected to the living room, and came out with a stack of papers which he handed to the cloaked man.

    Sable gasped when he saw the stack of papers. ¡°Those must be the manuscript.¡±

    Holden shushed Sable, then the two of them continued to eavesdrop.

    ¡°Here they are,¡± Mars said, referring to the stack of papers. ¡°And what of my payment?¡±

    The cloaked man then handed Mars a bag of digmata from beneath his cloak. ¡°Of course. There you are. Give your contact our regards.¡± Mars was about to turn away, until the cloaked man spoke again. ¡°Wait. There¡¯s something else.¡±

    Mars sighed. ¡°What is it now? Do you need more paper? This is high quality stuff. It¡¯s not easy to get a hold of.¡±

    ¡°No. Your other activities seem to be drawing too much attention, though.¡±

    Mars clenched his fists as his face contorted in anger. ¡°You mean the manuscripts I sell? Just because some no name PI came snooping around the publishing house, doesn¡¯t mean anyone¡¯s caught on to me.¡±

    ¡°Selling other writer¡¯s work to big time authors is a dangerous scheme. You¡¯re close to being found out. Don¡¯t think there are no other means of acquiring the high quality paper we need. If your other activities endanger our operations, we have no problem getting rid of you.¡±

    ¡°Threats like that won¡¯t work on me. This parchment I¡¯m providing for you isn¡¯t as easy to find as you think. So you and the rest of the Followers of Balmusk can leave your threats at the door, unless you¡¯d rather try acquiring it yourself.¡±

    The cloaked man growled, but maintained his silence as he suddenly was enveloped in a shroud of shadows. He then disappeared right before their eyes.

    Holden and Sable¡¯s eyes both popped when they saw the cloaked man¡¯s sudden disappearance. The two of them then duct down beneath the window so they were out of sight while they talked.

    ¡°Did you see that?¡± Sable asked. ¡°That shroud. That man was using dark magic.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± Holden replied. ¡°He also mentioned the Followers of Balmusk.¡±

    ¡°Balmusk. Isn¡¯t that some mythological monster?¡±

    ¡°Yep. The one horned centaur of catastrophe whose gallops were believed to generate lightning and thunder. An ancient beast that roamed the plains of the Western Confederacy thousands of years ago who enslaved humans, forcing them to worship it, and sacrifice every first born child to satiate its ravenous hunger.¡±

    Sable sighed at the thought of such heinous acts. ¡°Why would someone worship such a creature? These followers are crazy.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t a cult that worships the beasts. More like what the beast represents. It is said that Balmusk passed down forbidden lightning magic to its most loyal followers. Oftentimes some magic supremacist groups will adopt the name of ancient beasts like it.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°If they don¡¯t worship it, then why are they referred to as followers?¡±

    ¡°The followers in their name refer to how they followed in Balmusk¡¯s footsteps by passing down forbidden magic like it once did. They are obsessed with magic research. My guess is the palate Mars is supplying them likely contributes to said research somehow.¡±

    ¡°And you know all this how?¡± Sable asked.

    ¡°I was a spy, remember? One of the organizations I infiltrated had ties to this group.¡±

    ¡°Yes, how can I forget about your mysterious days as a spy.¡± Sable then yawned while stretching out his body. ¡°Anyways, what are we going to do now? We know that Mars stole Randy¡¯s manuscript. Are we going to break in there and search for it?¡±

    Holden needed a second to think. A smart criminal wouldn¡¯t keep the things they stored at home; they¡¯d usually have some kind of place that was well hidden and secured where they would store them. It was a precaution in case the police ever searched their house. Holden didn¡¯t necessarily peg Mars as being bright, nor was he a fool.

    ¡°I think searching his place won¡¯t turn up much. But we have to be thorough. You never know what¡¯ll turn up.¡±

    ¡°Fine then,¡± Sable said. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll just have to wait until he goes to sleep before we break in.¡±

    Holden nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope he doesn¡¯t wake up like Samuel did. Otherwise we¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡±

    ***

    Two more hours passed before Mars finally went to bed. His house was lit by stone with a faint glow, but with a clap of Mars¡¯ hands every stone that lit the place ceased glowing, darkening the entire house as Mars fell into his bed.

    Holden used his magic lockpick on the front door, and quietly stepped inside with Sable. The two then quietly made their way through the first floor looking for any signs of the stolen manuscript. Unfortunately, their search turned up nothing. The living room, the kitchen, and all the other various rooms on the first floor turned up no signs.

    Holden and Sable quietly made their way upstairs, searching every room they could find, aside from the bedroom where Mars was sleeping. Their tiptoeing around turned up nothing yet again, leaving them with only one room left to check.

    ¡°Are we really going in there?¡± Sable whispered. ¡°He¡¯s definitely going to wake up.¡±

    ¡°Done it before,¡± Holden said. ¡°I did more than just watch people all day as a spy.¡±

    ¡°Wait, were you an assassin?¡±

    Holden didn¡¯t bother answering him, and crept through the door instead. He made his way through the draws and end tables without waking Mars. However, there were no signs of the manuscript, or any evidence pointing to anything else Mars seemed to be involved in.

    With every room thoroughly searched, Holden and Sable left the house with Mars being none the wiser. Sable groaned as they made their escape out the front door.

    ¡°Another waste of time. When will we find this stupid manuscript?¡±

    ¡°We should try the office next,¡± Holden said right when the duo made it out into the street. ¡°Mars could have-.¡±

    Holden was abruptly cut off when he spotted the cloaked man who was in Mars¡¯ house earlier appear out of the shadows into the street with a short sword in hand.

    Clank! The cloaked man swung the short sword at Holden, who blocked it with one of the daggers he carried. The two traded several more blows. Holden could tell from the way this man fought that he was well trained in short swords. He was also agile, light on his feet, and had the reflexes of an assassin.

    Their clash of blades continued before the cloaked man jumped back, taking a moment to talk to Holden. ¡°I thought you might be listening in on us. Though I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d be this skilled with daggers. What are you? An assassin?¡±

    Holden smirked at the cloaked man¡¯s question. He wasn¡¯t too far off the mark, since Holden actually had been tasked with assassinating people during his days as a spy. ¡°You¡¯re pretty sharp. Judging by the way you fight, you¡¯re from a similar line of work.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re rather sharp yourself. The Followers of Balmusk would welcome one with your skill in our ranks.¡±

    ¡°Even one who has no magical ability? I thought your group was all about magic supremacy. Or did you all come to your senses recently, and change your mission?¡±

    ¡°No. We still seek to create a society ruled by magic and mages. That being said, we aren¡¯t above using the unblessed to reach our ultimate goal. We can even help you forge a contract with a magical creature, if you so desire.¡±

    ¡°And become a warlock after I sell my soul? No thanks. And referring to those of us without magic as unblessed isn¡¯t doing you any favors.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so. It is considered an insult. My apologies,¡± the cloaked man said with a slight bow. ¡°Then there¡¯s no choice. One of us will have to kill the other.¡±

    The cloaked man was enshrouded in shadows, then disappeared. Holden took on a defensive stance, while Sable teleported onto his shoulders to watch his back.

    ¡°I think that was shadow travel,¡± Sable said, referring to a dark magic spell that would allow the user to literally become one with the shadows and move through them. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on your back. You just focus forward.¡±

    ¡°I see your studies in the library has taught you a few things.¡±

    ¡°O can¡¯t take all the credit. Leryssa¡¯s a good teacher.¡±

    ¡°Letyssa? Is that the elf receptionist who was helping you out that one time we visited the Grand Library.¡±

    ¡°One and the same.¡± Sable then saw the cloaked man rising out of the shadows. ¡°Holden behind you.¡±

    Holden pivoted with his daggers at the ready, managing to parry the moment the cloaked man swung his short sword. Holden parked with such force that it caused the cloaked man to stumble. This gave Holden the opening to get in close and drove his dagger into the cloaked man¡¯s stomach.

    Agh! The cloaked man grunted then fell to his knees after Holden pulled the dagger out of his stomach. He started coughing up blood, even as he fell to the ground. ¡°Well, that¡¯s unfortunate. I was so focused on you I didn¡¯t notice the cait-sith. Rookie mistake.¡±

    Holden grabbed the cloak and tore it off of the man so he could get a better look at his face. The cloaked man was maybe around twenty. ¡°You were pretty skilled. But inexperienced. This was probably one of your first jobs. Wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the man said. ¡°I was raised within the organization. Since I was a dark mage, they trained me as an assassin. I just finished my training before being assigned to establish contact with Mars. He¡¯s only been providing us with high quality parchment for the past couple months. I found out he was hiding a stolen manuscript in a safe within his office.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re awfully talkative for an assassin.¡±

    The cloaked man chuckled, causing him to cough a few times before responding to Holden. ¡°I hated the Followers of Balmusk. Sure, I followed their creed. Did everything they said. But being an assassin was never what my heart desires. Guess I just want to stick it to them. You know, get back at those jerks with my last dying breath.

    ¡°Just leave me here. Someone will find my body and alert the police. I got evidence of Mars¡¯ crimes on me. He was involved in a lot more then just stealing manuscripts, and selling use parchment. That guy¡¯ll go away for years with all I have on him.¡±

    Holden tapped the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You probably would¡¯ve turned out to be quite the upstanding person, if it weren¡¯t for your upbringing.¡± He then paused for a moment. ¡°Do you want me to end it quickly?¡±

    The young man nodded his head. Holden then drove his dagger straight through the young man¡¯s heart finally putting an end to his suffering.

    Holden then got to his feet while somberly looking down at the young man. There were several feelings swirling around inside him. Sadness. Anger. Regret. He had seen similar situations many times before. Young men and women forced to be spies and assassins. It was despicable.

    His complicated expression didn¡¯t escape Sable¡¯s notice. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Sable asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that look on your face before.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Holden replied. ¡°This is just too similar to my own past. I hate seeing kids his age end up like this.¡± Holden sheathed his dagger, and took one last look at the young man¡¯s face before walking away. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here. We still got a case to solve.¡±

 The Case with the Stolen Manuscript Part 7

    Holden and Sable swiftly made their way back to the RavenEye publishing house. Although neither of them knew the cloak man¡¯s name, his face was one they would never forget, because his dying words are what broke this case wide open.

    Holden picked the lock and made his way into Mars¡¯s office. It took some time to find the safe the cloaked man was talking about, not to mention breaking into said safe once they found it. It took around thirty minutes to do it all.

    Click! The sound of the safe finally being unlocked was the sweetest melody to both Holden and Sable. It had been a crazy case with all the different people they had met, the boring hours spent watching Mars, and the encounter with an assassin. All of it had left the two PI¡¯s drained, and ready to put an end to this case.

    Sable breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the click of the safe¡¯s lock. ¡°Ah. There is no sweeter sound than that. We can finally put an end to this case.¡±

    Holden rolled his eyes. ¡°You know, it¡¯s only been a day. We actually solve a lot of cases really fast.¡±

    ¡°Maybe. But still. This sucked. How do police detectives do this everyday?¡±

    ¡°We can wonder about that once we¡¯re done with this case.¡± Holden then threw open the safe. As expected, there was a manuscript, and a few other items held within. However, it wasn¡¯t the manuscript they were hoping for.

    Both Holden and Sable¡¯s faces contorted as they read the title. The Murder of the Red Mage. It was a story about a detective investigating the death of a well-known researcher who had stumbled upon forbidden magic.

    ¡°That¡¯s not Randy¡¯s manuscript,¡± Sable pointed out, stomping the floor with his front paw in anger. ¡°What is this? Did he already sell it off? Wait. Maybe there¡¯s another safe here.¡±

    Holden shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve searched the entire place. There¡¯s nothing else here.¡±

    ¡°So, what? Are you saying someone else stole Randy¡¯s manuscript?¡± Sable huffed, while trying to think of other possibilities. ¡°Or maybe it sucked so bad that Mars just burned it. Ack! What now?¡±

    The trail ran cold. They had nothing to go on. No other leads other than the suspects they had already talked to. Upon realizing this, Sable groaned once more. ¡°Are we going to have to watch all of the other suspects now? I¡¯m going to die of boredom.¡±

    ¡°Take heart, Sable. With all the evidence against Mars coming to light soon, they¡¯ll be an open investigation against him. Maybe the inspectors will solve this case for us.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean we won¡¯t get paid?¡±

    Holden grumbled at the truth behind the cait-sith¡¯s statement. If the police ended up being the ones to solve the case, all of their efforts would be for not. The very thought frustrated Holden, yet there was nothing to be done at the moment.

    The two of them put the manuscript back into the safe, closed it up, and left. Mars¡¯ office was located in the back of the publishing house. It connected to the printing room where RavenEye¡¯s only printing press was located. Across the way from Mars¡¯ office was the editors¡¯ office, which was made up of several cubical sin a single large room.

    The entire building seemed quiet and stil, except for the door to the editors¡¯ office. The door was partly open, and a gentle breeze caused it to swing on its hinges.

    Holden looked curiously at the door. ¡°Hey, Sable, was that door opened when we first walked in here?¡±

    The cait-sith perked up his ears, hearing faint whispers coming from within the editors¡¯ office. ¡°It wasn¡¯t. And there¡¯s someone in there. No more like two someones.¡±

    The two of them snuck into the editors¡¯ office as quietly as possible. The place seemed empty. However, they were able to hear a couple of high pitched voices talking to one another.

    One of them was talking in an exacerbated tone of voice. ¡°Delilah, come on. Would you hurry up?¡±

    The other seemed nonchalant, with a wisp of snarkiness to it. ¡°Hold up, Maple. I¡¯m trying to figure out which I should read next.¡±

    ¡°You have such a bad habit,¡± the one named Maple said as Holden and Sable rounded a corner toward one of the cubicles. The two PI¡¯s found themselves face-to-face with a couple of fairies.

    The two duos just stared at each other for a moment before Sable had a sudden revelation. ¡°Hey, I remember you two. We were in captivity together in the basement of that tavern.¡±

    The two fairies looked at one another for a brief moment before flying away as fast as possible.

    Holden quickly snatched up one of the fairies mid-air at the cost of letting the other get away. Sable was about to run after the other, but Holden stopped him.

    ¡°Leave her be, Sable. We only need the one.¡±

    The fairy named Maple was trapped within Holden¡¯s grasp, unable to escape. She tried pushing and biting at Holden¡¯s hand, but he only tightened his grip, causing her to wince from pain.

    ¡°Would you stop squeezing so hard?¡± Maple pleaded. ¡°We fairies are very fragile.¡±

    ¡°And tricky,¡± Holden said, ignoring her plea. ¡°So, I think I already know, but what were you and that other fairy doing here?¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sable said, interjecting himself into the interrogation. ¡°And where¡¯s the red pixie? I¡¯ve been looking for her.¡±

    ¡°Looking is a generous term,¡± Holden said. ¡°You spend most of your time lazing around when you¡¯re not studying magic with Leryssa.¡±

    Sable just huffed, choosing not to respond to Holden¡¯s comment.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Holden continued his interrogation of Maple. ¡°Are you going to answer our questions, or should I keep squeezing?¡±

    Maple gnashed her teeth. ¡°That idiot, Delilah. She¡¯s a real bookworm. Always sneaking into publishing houses, libraries, book stores, and all kinds of places for her little hobby.¡±

    ¡°As I thought. And has she ever stolen any of these books? Or perhaps, unpublished manuscripts before?¡±

    ¡°Yes. A few times actually,¡± Maple confessed, biting her lip. ¡°She stole a manuscript just the other day. She said she was going to return it once she was done. I think she did it already actually. That¡¯s why she was searching for other manuscripts.¡±

    Holden unconscious tightened his grip further in frustration, causing Maple to cry out. He loosened his grip slightly before apologizing, then got lost in thought. As far as he could tell Maple was telling the truth. However, that didn¡¯t explain why this fairy Delilah would start targeting unpublished manuscripts. ¡°Why can your friend there just read regular books? Why cause all of this trouble by swiping manuscripts that haven¡¯t been published yet?¡±

    Maple sighed while shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s become much more troublesome ever since we started working with that red pixie.¡±

    Sable¡¯s eyes widened in both surprise and excitement. ¡°So, I was right. The red pixie was involved. Ha. Who¡¯s the fool now, Holden?¡±

    ¡°Cat, you¡¯re jumping to conclusions,¡± Holden said. ¡°I doubt the pixie was directly involved. Maple was it? Explain exactly how this is the red pixie¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°Her malicious temperament is rubbing off on all of the fairies working for her. She¡¯s been using us in her plot to take revenge on our captures. The fairy trafficking ring will get what¡¯s coming to them. Unfortunately, that pixie¡¯s underhanded tactics have caused most of us fairies to become a lot more mischievous and compulsive.¡±

    ¡°So, your friend started stealing manuscripts because of that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s her newfound lack of patience. She consumes literature at an amazing rate. A book a day, sometime more when we¡¯re not busy fulfilling the pixie¡¯s schemes.¡±

    Holden caught a hint of anger every time Malle mentioned the pixie, making him wonder why she would work with it. ¡°You despise the red pixie. So, why work for her?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Maple said, her head dropping in shame. ¡°I¡¯m forbidden from saying anything about it. I honestly can¡¯t tell you anything about her, or our plans.¡±

    Holden didn¡¯t pick up on any deception, so he decided to leave the subject alone for the moment. ¡°All that aside, can you tell us where your friend Delilah keeps all of the books she steals?¡±

    ¡°I can do that, if you let me go.¡±

    ¡°Not going to happen. I will let you go after we get there.¡±

    Maple sighed, and provided directions to them. Holden and Sable made haste with Malle still tightly bound in Holden¡¯s hand. The area Maple described was nearby in a building that was partially abandoned. One half of the building was being used as a warehouse, while the other half was currently unoccupied.

    The fairy and manuscript thief known as Delilah stored all f her stolen books in a closet in the basement of the abandoned side of the building. This basement had a grate that drained out into the sewers. The gaps between the bars of this grate were large enough for a small fairy to squeeze through.

    Delilah was currently in the closet searching through the stacks of books, frantically searching for something. ¡°Where is it? Where is it? I have to get it out of here before Maple divulges this location to those two. Where is it?¡±

    The door suddenly swung open. Holden walked through with Maple in hand, and Sable standing on his shoulders. Delilah panicked, and attempted to fly away, only to be punched on by Sable.

    ¡°Hold up there, Delilah,¡± Sable said, pinning the fairy to the ground. ¡°We don¡¯t much care about all the other books you stole. We just want the maniscript you took from the author Randy. And whatever you can tell us about the red pixie.¡±

    Delilah growled. ¡°Hey, get off of me. You can¡¯t take it. You can¡¯t have my stuff. It¡¯s mine. It¡¯s mine.¡±

    Maple¡¯s jaw dropped seeing her friend¡¯s behavior. ¡°Delilah, please, stop. What is wrong with you? Why are you behaving in such a manner?¡±

    Delilah continued to flail about under Sable¡¯s paw. All eyes were on her, until a sudden sparkling red  light appeared above all of their heads. It started out the size of marble, then grew until it was the size of a head. Once the light faded a red-skinned pixie appeared in its place.

    ¡°Maple, Delilah, where have you two been?¡± The red pixie asked with a forceful tone.

    Sable¡¯s eyes narrowed. He crouched low to the ground, then attempted to pounce. ¡°Red pixie! I found you!¡±

    The red pixie teleported a few feet back, avoiding being tackled by Sable. She turned her gaze toward Maple, then to Delilah, before raising her hand in the air. ¡°You two, I¡¯m ordering you to come with me. We have much to do. So, stop whatever foolishness this is.¡±

    Black collars materialized around the fairies¡¯ necks. The red pixie then cast some sort of spell, causing herself, Maple, and Delilah to teleport away right before Holden and Sable¡¯s eyes.

    The two of them just stood there slack jawed after witnessing the red pixie¡¯s magic. Although neither of them were considered experts in terms of magical knowledge, they knew enough to recognize that the spell the red pixie had just used was a rather powerful one.

    Spells were separated into six ranks based on their potency. The least potent were cantrips, which used up so little magic that a mage could theoretically cast them continually without ever running dry on magic. After cantrips, spells were given a rank with rank one being the least potent, and requiring the lowest amount of magical reserves to use. Meanwhile, rank five required the highest amount of magic, and was the most potent. Judging by the effects of the spell they had witnessed, it was at least rank three. Possibly even rank four.

    ¡°What just happened?¡± Sable asked no one in particular. ¡°I finally found the red pixie, and she just teleported away.¡±

    Holden slapped his forehead from stress. ¡°This is-.¡± He paused for a moment trying to find the words. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure what to say. I guess you were sort of right about the red pixie being involved, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not particularly proud of being right,¡± Sable grumbled. ¡°Let¡¯s just find Randy¡¯s manuscript and get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Holden replied while picking up a book off the floor. ¡°Though I wonder why that fairy ran off here first when she knew we had her friend in custody.¡±

    ¡°Who knows. But this certainly explains a lot. Delilah probably snuck in to Randy¡¯s apartment through his open window, then slipped out with his manuscript.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll think twice about leaving that thing open all day.¡±

    Holden and Sable continued sifting through the book until they finally came across Randy¡¯s manuscript. It was bound in leather, and frayed on the side. However, it looked fully intact.

    ¡°Well, lookie here,¡± Holden said. ¡°Sable, we can finally put this case to rest.¡±

    ¡°About time,¡± Sable replied. ¡°Let¡¯s get this thing back to that annoying author and claim our reward.¡±

    Holden and Sable returned to Randy¡¯s apartment in the middle of the night. They had to wake the man up, but he was grateful to see his manuscript again. The two PI¡¯s left after receiving their payment, and hit their bed the moment they got home.

 The Case with the Stolen Manuscript Epilogue

    Right after teleporting away from both Holden and Sable, the red pixie appeared in an undisclosed location. It looked like the inside of a large cavern with red crystals jutting out of the walls and ceiling.

    Several fairies started swarming the trio. None of them said a word, they all just looked up with awe and reverence at the red pixie who floated above them. The only one not looking at her in such a way was Malle, who hid behind the crowd from the red pixie¡¯s gaze.

    The red pixie smiled with joy, then addressed the fairies. ¡°My fellow former captives, heed my words. The time is almost upon us. Revenge will be ours for the taking. Those who held us hostage will soon meet their end.¡±

    The fairies started giggling maliciously, but stopped as soon as they heard a bark coming from behind them. It came from a large dog; a bloodhound with black fur and a purple gem embedded in its head. This dog was a coin-sith, which was a type of fey creature that looked like a dog. Just like the cait-sith, the coin-sith each had a gem embedded in their heads. They also would look and sound like regular dogs to anyone incapable of using magic, until they realized they were coin-sith.

    The coin-sith raised it head up at the red pixie and spoke. ¡°Miss Shira. I have arrived with news. Our next target is on the move.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Shira, the red pixie replied. ¡°It¡¯s time we move out again. Girls, follow me.¡±

    Black collars then materialized around all of the fairies and the coin-sith¡¯s necks. They then all followed the red pixie to places only known to them.

    ***

    The following day, Holden and Sable were both sitting in Holden¡¯s office reading an article in the paper about evidence incriminating the publisher of RavenEye Publishing in several crimes when they heard a knock at the door. Holden got up and opened it to find a man delivering a package from Randy. It was a box. According to the note left on it, Randy wanted to send them an additional reward for their services. Holden signed for it, then bid the delivery man fairwell before closing the door.

    He brought it over to his desk, and opened it in front of Sable. Within the box lay a few pieces of paper that looked like part of a manuscript titled Helen & Scarlet by Randy Owens.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Is this his next novel?¡± Sable asked. ¡°I guess he¡¯s already moved on from the one we found yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he had a spark of inspiration,¡± Holden said. ¡°But what¡¯s with that title?¡±

    ¡°Well, keep reading.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Holden then began reading everything on the first page aloud. ¡°Helen and Scarlet: The Chronicles of Female Private Investigators featuring Helen, the intelligent yet air-headed human, and Scarlet, the stoic cat beastfolk. A YA Mystery.¡±

    Holden and Sable then glanced at one another. Both of them were thinking the same thing. Randy thought up a novel based off the two of them.

    Sable was the first to chuckle. ¡°Intelligent yet air-headed. I can¡¯t wait to see the rest of this.¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling I¡¯m going to hate it.¡±

    ¡°Too bad. Let¡¯s get reading.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Holden then began to read the story to Sable.

    ***

    This is the partial manuscript that Randy sent to Holden and Sable featuring the characters Helen and Scarlet.

    It begins with Helen and Scarlet facing down the culprit of a major magical creature trafficking ring. The culprit was a masked elf who went by the name Red Mask. Red Mask¡¯s piercing red eyes sent a chill down Helen¡¯s spine, yet Helen persevered despite her fear.

    ¡°Scarlet, watch my back,¡± Helen said, drawing a pair of daggers. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it above this guy to have some minions lying in wait.¡±

    Scarlet clicked her tongue at Helen¡¯s demands. ¡°Would you stop bossing me around, boss lady?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I hired you to be my bodyguard, Scarlet. Isn¡¯t it normal for you to have my back?¡±

    Scarlet flipped her hair, and glared at Helen. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll back you up. With these fists of mine, no one wil be able to lay a hand on you.¡±

    The duo then heard a man¡¯s voice shouting at them from a distance. He was an elf with red hair and eyes, dressed in a business suit. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me, ladies.¡±

    Helen blushed the moment she saw him. ¡°Alexander.¡±

    Scarlet rolled her eyes at Helen¡¯s sudden meak demeanor. ¡°Oh look, it¡¯s the prosecutor. And your want-to-be boyfriend.¡±

    Helen¡¯s cheeks only grew redder at Scarlet¡¯s words. ¡°Shut up, Scarlet, or he¡¯ll hear you.¡±

    ¡°Why bother? The whole city practically knows of your crush.¡±

    At that moment, Alexander arrived at the scene. ¡°Helen, Scarlet. I¡¯m here. Now let¡¯s deal with Red Mask.¡±

    ¡°My dear, Alexander,¡± Red Masked said. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be able to strike your father?¡± He then removed his mask revealing a face that significantly resembled Alexander¡¯s but older.

    ¡°What!¡± Helen, Scarlet, and Alexander all yelled at the same time.¡±

    ***

    Both Holden and Sable stared at one another once again after they were done reading. They had the same thing on their mind.

    ¡°This is stupid,¡± Sable said.

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Holden replied.

    The two of them then sealed up the box with the partially completed manuscript inside, and never looked at it again.

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 1

    It was the afternoon after Holden and Sable had found Randy¡¯s lost manuscript. Sable had returned to Holden¡¯s apartment after spending a couple of hours at the Grand Library studying with Leryssa. The cait-sith felt like he hadn¡¯t contributed much to the previous cases, so increasing his knowledge of magic would allow him to fill a gap in knowledge that Holden was lacking.

    Once Sable returned, he and Holden made their way for the Red Sun Tavern. It was their usual haunt on days where they weren¡¯t working on a case. The tavern was livelier than usual. It was the weekend, though, so a lot more people were out and about. There were even a few regulars who Holden and Sable recognized.

    Two of these regulars were a couple of academics, who often would argue with one another after the first couple of drinks.

    ¡°Thanador is flat,¡± the first academic said. ¡°It¡¯s obvious. How else could we stand on the ground unless the world itself was flat. Just look outside, you idiot.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± the second academic replied. ¡°Thanador is round. How else to you explain how if you continue taking a ship west, you¡¯ll eventually end up on the eastern side of the continent?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because of the veil at the end of the world.¡±

    Everyone knew of the veil at the end of the world. It was a a tick fog that surrounded all of Thanador. Keep going east through the mist, and you¡¯ll pop out on the western side of the world. Keep going north through the mist, and you¡¯ll pop out on the southern side of the continent. It was also important to known that Thanador only had a single continent.

    Holden and Sable took a seat at another table near the two academics, listening intently to their riveting debate.

    The first academic, who insisted that the world was flat, continued to support his claim. ¡°Besides, just step outside. It¡¯s obvious the world was flat. If it were round like you suggested, people would fall off the world into the sky.¡±

    The second academic pounded his fists on the table. ¡°Are you a fool? Gravity you nitwit, gravity.¡±

    ¡°Gravity? Do you really think gravity magic is keeping us all planted to the ground. What a moronic idea. And what, pre tell, is producing all of this gravity magic? Gravity magic strong enough to keep this entire world from falling into the sky.¡±

    ¡°How else do you explain it. If you watch the horizon closely, it¡¯s obvious that the world is round. You can see it curve.¡±

    The wo academics growled at one another, and were about to continue their argument when Sable suddenly interrupted them.

    ¡°You¡¯re both wrong,¡± the cait-sith declared, teleporting right in between the two and standing proudly before them. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that Thanador is a cube.¡±

    The entire tavern grew silent, and everybody curiously turned toward Sable and the two academics. No one had every bothered to get in the middle of their debate before, much less propose a theory neither academic was supporting.

    ¡°And what¡¯s your proof?¡± the first academic asked, arms crossed.

    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s your proof?¡± the second academic asked, also crossing his arms.

    Sable stuck his chin up in the air. ¡°Simple. You heard the story of the dwarves who tried digging to the bottom of the world? Well, what did they find when after digging miles beneath the surface. The veil. That¡¯s what they found. Only instead of popping out somewhere else, no one was able to pass through the veil. They tried everything to break through. The sharpest of weapons. The strongest of spells. But nothing could break through.

    The same thing happens when you continue flying. Eventually, you hit some kind of ceiling. All of Thanador is like one big room.

    The second academic huffed. ¡°The how do you explain ending up on the east side of the continent when you continuously travel west? Why didn¡¯t those dwarves fall from the sky when they dug down to the bottom of Thanador?¡±

    Sable shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Maybe there are things we just don¡¯t know about the world.¡±

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The two academics and Sable then broke out into a heated argument. Holden just ordered a drink while watching in amusement as his companion attempting to keep up with the two academics. This debate continued until everyone heard the door to the tavern burst open, and a loud, deep voice shouting Holden and Sable¡¯s names.

    The academics and Sable qquieted down, and every head in the tavern turned toward the door, where a large minotaur was standing. It was Durik, the minotaur who Holden and Sable had helped prove his innocent of the murder of the tavern owner who had held Sable, the red pixie, and several other fey creatures captive.

    Durik spotted Holden, and walked up to him. ¡°Mr. Holden, I¡¯ve been looking for you. Where is your companion? The cait-sith that you keep as a pet.¡±

    Sable¡¯s jaw fell open. OI can assure you sir that I am no one¡¯s pet.¡±

    Sable had been in the Red Sun Tavern often enough that all of the regulars knew he was a cait-sith. However, Durik and Sable hadn¡¯t officially met yet, so all the mnotaur heard and saw was a regular black cat meowing at him. ¡°What¡¯s with the cat?¡±

    The question caused the whole tavern to burst out in laughter. They had all gotten so used to Sable that many had forgotten only those with magic could see and hear him for what he truly was.

    One of the patrons decide to speak up to help the minotaur out. ¡°That cat is Sable. He¡¯s also the famous singing cat. And the cat who declared himself a god atop the statue of the Sage of Commerce.¡±

    The tavern burst out into laughter yet again, causing Sable to shrink back in embarrassment. ¡°Why do you all have to bring up my shame?¡±

    Durik was taken aback for he now noticed the blue gem on Sable¡¯s head, and was able to understand what the cait-sith was saying. ¡°Oh, uhm. My apologize for mistaking you for some ordinary house cat. Holden, Sable, I need to speak to you both about a job. It is of the upmost importance. And the upmost secrecy.¡±

    Oh-ho,¡± the patron from earlier said. ¡°The cat and his owner are moving up. Secret missions and what not.¡±

    Sable growled at the patron, who name was Jack. ¡°Oh, shut up, Jack.¡±

    Jack smirked at the cait-sith. Holden then gestured toward a back door, and led Durik and Sable though. The door opened to a private room with nothing more thn a small table and chairs. Holden had been a patron of the Red Sun Tavern ever since he arrived in Chrimoria, and the owner would allow him to use this room whenever someone came in looking to hire Holden.

    Holden took a seat in one of the chairs, Sble sat on the table itself, while Durik just stood across from them with his arms crossed.

    Durik began to explain why he was looking for them. ¡°I¡¯ve been sent by the director of the Mages Uinion to hire you.¡±

    Holden¡¯s eyes went wide with shock. ¡°The director of the Mages Union. What would she want my help with? I¡¯d imagine any mystery that a PI like myself could solve, she could solve just as easily with her divination magic.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well, the Chrimoria Police Department is in a bind at the moment.¡± Durik then lowered his voice in case anyoe was eaves-dropping. ¡°Several important people from the Chrimoria government have gone missing, including a certain prosecutor you are well acquainted with.¡±

    Holden¡¯s entire body froze for a moment. Elliandra was missing, along with several other key government officials. He hadn¡¯t been in touch with Elliandra ever since the two of them saw each other in the market when Sable had some catnip and started acting like some high and mighty god on top of the Sage of Commerce¡¯s statue. It had been only a couple of days, so it wasn¡¯t unusual for the two of them not to see each other in such a short length of time. This would also explain why the police weren¡¯t going out of their way to help Randy track down his missing manuscript the day before.

    Holden took a second to collect himself so his emotions wouldn¡¯t run wild. He was worried for his friend¡¯s safety, but he couldn¡¯t let those emotions get out of hand. Otherwise, it would cloud his judgement. ¡°So, the director hasn¡¯t been able to locate them using her divination magic. And the rest of the Chrimoria Police Department has come up empty handed, too. What makes her think I¡¯ll. I¡¯m sorry, what makes her think Sable and I will be able to find them?¡±

    Durik shrugged his shoulders. ¡°The director said that she has faith in you. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never even met the director. Why have faith in some PI from out of town, and a cait-sith who¡¯s only known for his hilarious street performances?¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sable said. ¡°You make me sound like I¡¯m some sort of circus clown, or a street magician with nothing to offer.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s be honest,¡± Holden said. ¡°You and I are nothing special in the grand scheme of things. We don¡¯t have the resources and manpower that the police have. We aren¡¯t backed by anyone particularly influential or well-informed. Our network of informants are just a bunch of everyday people who owe us favors without any skills that could match what the director already has access to. This whole thing seems odd.¡±

    ¡°Are you not going to help?¡± Durik asked, curious why Holden seemed to be fighting this.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Holden sighed. ¡°Elliandra and I are friends. If she¡¯s in danger, I¡¯m going to save her. Things just don¡¯t add up. Puts me on edge.¡±

    ¡°It baffles me, too,¡± Durik admitted. ¡°The director hired me to be her bodyguard after you proved my innocence. She does a lot of things that don¡¯t make sense. Her faith inyou being one of them. Uh, no offense.¡±

    ¡°None taken. Logically, it doesn¡¯t make any sense. But I guess I¡¯ll take the job. Just tell her not to expect much.¡±

    ¡°Very well. She also said that¡¯d she¡¯d like to speak to the two of you, if you decide to take the job. I¡¯ll escort you to the Mages Union.¡±

    Holden and Sable looked at one another and sighed. They could already tell this wasn¡¯t going to be an easy case, and they both had this burning feeling that danger was waiting around every corner.

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 2

    Durik escorted Holden and Sable to the Mages Union office in East Chrimoria. Upon their arrival, they were met by even more guards in the lobby, who escorted them to the top floor of the building. The Mages Union office was around a dozen floors high with the directors office being at the very top. The duo had to climb several flights of stairs while at least a dozen guards kept a close eye on the two of them. To Holden and Sable, it felt like the guards were burning a hole through them with their intense stairs.

    It was uncomfortable, but how could the duo blame them. High-ranking officials were going missing, and Holden and Sable were essentially strangers with no reputation. It was like Holden¡¯s cases made the news. Nor did his involvement in discovering the fairy trafficking ring. In fact, officially speaking, Holden was never involved.

    The director¡¯s office was a large room with significant empty space between the door and the desk on the far side of the room. The director currently wasn¡¯t visible, because her chair was turned toward the back window, which took up most of the wall. On the floor of this empty space was the outline of a magic circle used by the director for performing divination spells. Magic circles for every spell had one thing in common, and that was one smaller circle within one larger circle. The size of the gap between these two circles was dependent on the overall size of the circle itself. The one drawn on the florr of the director¡¯s office had a gap of at least a foot, while the circles themselves were several feet in width, taking up a majority of the empty space.

    All of the guards, except for Durik, remained by the door as soon as the group entered. Durik gestured for Holden and Sable to follow him. They walked straight through the middle of the room. The magic circle outline remained uninterrupted, even when Durik walked right over it.

    Holden and Sable both were somewhat surprised, because it appeared the magic circle outline was part of the floor itself. The stood their looking at the circle for a brief moment, only o lift their heads at the sound of a woman¡¯s voice coming from behind the desk at the far end of the room.

    ¡°That magic circle is part of the floor. I had it made that way so I wouldn¡¯t have to redrawn the entire circle every time I needed to use it.¡±

    When Holden and Sable lifted their heads, and saw the director turn toward them in her chair. She was one of the beastfolk with fox ears, and a fox tail. Her hair and eyes were an illustrious silver color, and she appeared to be in her mid-forties. Even though she was sitting down, they could tell that she was tall and slender.

    The director met Holden and Sable¡¯s gaze with a friendly smile. There was also a hint of a tear that she quickly wiped away. ¡°It is good to meet you two, Holden and Sable. You can just call me Naomi. Please no formalities. I¡¯m asking you for quite the favor, so I¡¯d rather you address me more casually.¡±

    Holden cleared his throat before talking. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet the director of the Mages Union. Naomi, I hear that several key figures from the Chrimorian government have gone missing. And you want me and y partner to find them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± Naomi said, folding her hands on the desk. ¡°You¡¯ll have every resources at my disposal available to you, even myself. So long as you can justify the expense, of course.¡±

    ¡°Of course, divination magic isn¡¯t cheap,¡± Holden replied. ¡°Though I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve already used the extend of your powers to find the missing people?¡±

    Naomi shook her head in defeat. ¡°I have. And unfortunately, my divination hasn¡¯t turned up any new information.¡±

    Holden furrowed his brows. He could tell that Naomi was being very careful with her words. It seemed like she was hiding something. Although, given Holden¡¯s profession, he guessed the woman was just guarded around him, and wanted to be careful not to say anything unnecessary. A woman in her position had access to classified information someone like Holden should be privy to, so her guarded demeanor didn¡¯t seem unusual given the current situation.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Still, Holden could help ut wonder why she would reach out to him and Sable. ¡°Durik says that you have faith that I¡¯ll be able to figure this out. Why?¡±

    Naomi calming stood to her feet, and turned to face the window. The cityscape of Chrimoria sat before her in all of its wonder. Buildings both big and small in eastern Chrimoria dotted the view. She kept her eyes onthose building when she responded to Holden.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching; researching you ever since your involvement in uncovering the fairy trafficking ring.¡± Naomi then turned back to face Holden and Sable. ¡°You are both excellent detective. Though you both still have a ways to go before you meet your full potential, I believe you have the skills to solve this mystery.¡±

    There was an unusual amount of certainty in Naomi¡¯s eyes when she praised Holden and Sable¡¯s skill. It was as if she had witnessed them at work herself several times. She even said that they hadn¡¯t reached their full potential with such certainty that Holden wondered just how this woman could¡¯ve possibly known all this.

    Naomi continued. ¡°Many high-ranking officials have disappeared. One of which is a friend of yours, I believe. I assume that¡¯s more than enough to motivate you.¡±

    Holden nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d turn over all of Chrimoria to find a friend.¡±

    Naomi giggled with a smile that seemed unusually cheerful compared to her earlier demeanor. ¡°Yes. That sounds like something you would do. Given what I¡¯ve seen at least.¡±

    Holden raised an eyebrow at her unusual reaction, but decided not to pry. It was better to focus on the case instead. ¡°What do we know already?¡±

    ¡°Elliandra was the prosecutor assigned to the case against the Leudox who were trafficking a nox-dragon.¡± Naomi , then walked back to her desk, leaning forward against it with her hands sprayed out to keep her balance. ¡°I assume the two of you are familiar with that particular case?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very well-informed. Yeah, we know the case. So, the Leudox are our primary suspects then?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, and no. The other officials who¡¯ve disappeared have nothing to do with that particular case. In fact, the disappearances almost seem random. Ther isn¡¯t even enough evidence to suggest they were kidnapped.¡±

    What do you mean? Couldn¡¯t you watch the moment they all disappeared with your divination magic? I know the materials for such a spell must be expensive. But surely given the situation-.¡±

    Naomi held a hand in the air, cutting off Holden mid-sentence. ¡°That¡¯s one of the issues we¡¯re having. Something is blocking my divination. Locator spells aren¡¯t working, I can see anything out of the ordinary whenever I watch the events leading up to their disappearances. It¡¯s like they just vanish all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°That would explain a lot,¡± Sable interjected. ¡°I doubt a diviner of your skill would have problems finding these people if there wasn¡¯t something blocking your divination.¡±

    Holden then snapped his fingers. ¡°That means someone with powerful magic has to be taking them. Someone who can block divination. But who could do that?¡± There are any number of powerful mages in this city, and beyond who could pull this off. But who could have the motive?¡±

    ¡°The red pixie,¡± Sable said half-heartedly.

    Holden slapped his forehead. ¡°Again with the red pixie. We encounter her once, and your mind goes straight to her.¡±

    ¡°Well, she does have the ability to teleport multiple people away, even when they¡¯re restrained. She could get away with this, if she had a way to block divination.¡±

    ¡°Fair point. But still. Not everything is the red pixie¡¯s fault.¡±

    Naomi giggled at their bickering back and forth, then clapped her hands to get their attention. ¡°Alright. There are a lot of potential suspects. The Leudox are a start. There¡¯s also the Followers of Balmusk. We just found one of their agents dead in the middle of Saphirra Falls. Countless groups could be attacking Chrimoria.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true,¡± Holden said. ¡°We have to consider all possibilities. Even that there¡¯s some unknown group working in the shadows. It¡¯s not like the culprit will necessarily be among our list of suspects.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one of the fundamentals of detective work,¡± Naomi said with pride. ¡°Always expect the unexpected. Never get too attached to your suspects, because the culprit you might be looking for might not even be among them.¡±

    Naomi¡¯s unusually cheery disposition made all of her guards, including Durik, raise their eyebrows. Even Holden and Sable relized that her behavior seemed out of place given the demeanor she carried when they first entered the room.

    Naomi noticed this, and turned around to hide her embarrassment as she twirled her hair around her finger. ¡°Excuse me for my lack of professionalism. I get a little overly enthusiastic whenever there¡¯s a mystery.

    ¡°Anyways. Holden, Sable, I am counting on the two of you. You¡¯ll have every resource I can muster to help you with this case. So, please, if you need anything don¡¯t be afraid to ask.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Director,¡± Holden said before recalling she had asked him to use her first name. ¡°Sorry, I mean, Naomi.¡±

    Hearing her name brought a yet another smile to Holden¡¯s face. ¡°Of course. Holden and Sable, good luck.¡±

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 3

    Meanwhile, Elliandra found herself rousing to consciousness. Her head was buzzy with an aching pain permeating throughout. The first thing she noticed was the cold floor that she was lying on, then the fact that something was covering her eyes, preventing her from seeing.

    Elliandra tried getting to her feet. It was then that she noticed her feet were also bound by ropes, along with her hands.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Elliandra asked, unsure if there was even anyone around to hear her. The air felt cold and still. Her surrounding seemed quiet, leading her to wonder where exactly she had ended up.

    It was then that a rough voice responded to her question. ¡°You¡¯re our captive?¡±

    Elliandra quickly jerked her head to the sound of the voice. Though it was impossible to tell whether or not she was looking in the right direction. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°An enemy. That is all you need to know.¡±

    ¡°What do you want? Elliandra asked, wanting to keep whoever it was with her talking so she could glean as much information about her current circumstances as possible. ¡°You kidnapped a prosecutor for the Mages Union. Are you with Leudox?

    The owner of the rough voice huffed. ¡°We want you to stay out of sight for a while.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± There was no response to her last question. All she heard was the sound of footsteps slowly wlking away. The footsteps sounded like boots walking on concrete. There was also a loud echo when she or the other one with her spoke, leading Elliandra to believe she was in a large room with a high ceiling. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t able to glean anything else out. All she could do way lie there in darkness waiting for some unknown fate to befall her.

    ***

    Holden and Sable were handed a pile of reports detailing the investigation into the missing officials so far, and allowed to use an empty office on the first floor of the Mages Union. Durik was assigned to assist the two of them in case they needed some muscle, so he followed closely behind them.

    Holden read through the reports, finding a few things of note. The plocie interrogating every Leudox member they had in custody, including those involved in the kidnapping of the nox-dragon. However, they were unable to turn up any leads, even using psychic magic to pour through their memories left the policew with nothing to go on.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s probably no the eudox,¡± Sable said after listen to Holden summarize that part of the reports to him. ¡°That checks them off the list. But are their any better suspects?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Holden pointed out. ¡°Just because none of the Leudox members in custody knew anything about the disappearances, doesn¡¯t mean those who ar still roaming free aren¡¯t involved. When dealing with an operation like this, it¡¯s best to share as little information with as few people as possible. Especially since psychic mages can dig whatever information you give to anyonje out of their heads.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the Leudox members in custody might intentionally be kept out of the loop? That makes sense.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°Yeah. We can¡¯t write them off. Though its hard to find a motive for targeting anyone other then Elliandra.¡±

    ¡°Is it possible that we¡¯re dealing with multiple kidnappings by multiple organizations?¡±

    ¡°And all of them just so happen to be occurring at the same time,¡± Holden said, finishing the cait-sith¡¯s thought for him. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s possible. Unlikely, but possible.¡±

    ¡°So, then, what are we going to do first?¡±

    Holden sighed, then looked through the list of missing persons. Aside from Elliandra, there were also five other officials who had gone missing. The first one to go missing was a human named Elliot Manson. He was the Supervisor of Chrimoria¡¯s Waste Management and Disposal Unit. It was a department within the city government that dealt with the disposal of garbage, along with the maintenance of the sewer system. He disappeared three days ago in the early morning.

    The second missing person was Captain Briarthorn, an elven police Captain who was in charge of Precinct 13 in Southern Chrimoria. He had disappeared on the same day as Elliot. The third person was the head clerk of the Merchant Licensing Agency. This agency was tasked with approving business licenses within the city. The head clerk was essentially the supervisor of all the other clerks, who were charged with distributing licenses. She was an elf, who had disappeared two days ago during the evening by the name of Celia Kamrot.

    The fourth missing person was an inspector in the Workplace Compliance Union, a government agency which audited all of Chrimoria¡¯s businesses. She was a beastfolk with dog ears and a tail, who had disappeared yesterday morning. Her name was Sia Reinhouse. The final missing person aside from Elliandra was another member of the Mages Union; a dwarf by the name Halrick Ironborne. His job within the Mages Union was to safeguard pattens for magic items. His disappearance was confirmed this morning, meaning he disappeared the day after Elliandra.

    After looking through all of their files, including work history, known associates, and other public records, Holden found nothing connecting any of these people. Some of them might¡¯ve had contact with Elliandra given the nature of her work, but that was the closest thing to a connection he could find between any of them.

    ¡°This is odd,¡± Holden said after setting down all of their files. ¡°There isn¡¯t a solid connection between any of these people. Why target them? I can¡¯t for the life of me think of a motive.¡±

    Sable gave him a knowing glance. ¡°Unless the red pixie is targeting government officials who are part of the trafficking ring.¡±

    Holden sighed. ¡°Then why target Elliandra? She¡¯s the one trying to put the Leudox away. Unless the Leudox are targeting people they¡¯ve been secretly working with, while also trying to get rid of Elliandra at the same time.¡±

    ¡°So, they might be cleaning house.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, possibly.¡± Holden then skimmed through all of their files once again. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be unheard of. We put a major damper on their operations. Maybe some of the conspirators were scared. Maybe these people conspired to betray the Leudox, and the Leudox got wind of it. Now they¡¯re making an example of them.¡±

    ¡°An example?¡± Sable asked.

    ¡°An example. And if that¡¯s the case, we might be finding their dead bodies soon.¡±

    Their discussion was interrupted by a knock on the door. Durik swung it open, letting one of Naomi¡¯s guards into the room. The guard had aneutral expresio on his fae, but the news he brought them was nything but.

    ¡°The police uncovered the body of a woman not too long ago in a warehouse in West Chrimoria. It¡¯s been burned pretty badly. We don¡¯t know who it is, though, or if its related.¡±

    Holden could feel his heartrate increasing rapidly. His face contorted as anger welled up inside of him. Was it Elliandra? Was he too late to save his friend? Holden immediately jumped to his feet, and grabbed the man y his collar. ¡°What warehouse? What warehouse was it!?¡±

    ¡°Holden!¡± Sable shouted jumping onto his shoulders. ¡°Calm down, and let the man go.¡±

    Holden exhaled deeply as his removed his grip from the guards collar. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m-.¡± Holden then put his hands on his hips while taking a moment to let himself calm down. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the scene. I have to confirm who it is.¡±

    The guard nodded his head. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll show you the way.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± holden said with a head bob. ¡°And, sorry again.¡±

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 4

    The guard led Holden, Sable, and Durik to the front of the Mages Union where a large carriage was waiting for them. Naomi herself was already sitting inside, expectantly holding the door open for them.

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re both here,¡± Naomi said when Holden and Sable got into the carriage with the others. ¡°We just received word of the victim from the inspector on sight. It¡¯ll take a while to confirm the identity of the woman. But as far as we can tell, she¡¯s one of the beastfolk.¡±

    Holden couldn¡¯t help breath a sigh of relief. He then realized how rude that was, and found himself apologizing again. ¡°I was worried it was Elliandra. I don¡¯t know if I could think clearly if it turned out to be her.¡±

    Naomi suddenly placed her hand on his and spoke in a somber tone. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Holden. No one could blame for being distraught.¡± Her eyes then popped as she quickly retracted her hand. ¡°Sorry about that. I know I¡¯m being a little overly familiar.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Holden replied. ¡°Some people are just like that.¡±

    Sable the climbed onto Holden¡¯s leg to avoid Durik, who was uncomfortably shifting in his seat since the carriages cabin was so small. ¡°Yes. But I wouldn¡¯t expect the director of te Mages Union-.¡±

    Holden yanked the cait-sith¡¯s tail to prevent him from saying something rude, causing Sable to screech. ¡°Hey, watch the tail. Stupid human.¡±

    Naomi shook her head disapprovingly at Holden. ¡°No need to force Sable to hold back on my account. Like I said, I¡¯d rather you just treat me casually. No need to worry about formality.¡± She then looked at Sable with a bright smile. ¡°You can even sit on my lap, if it¡¯s more comfortable.¡±

    Sable slinked back onto the carriage seat from discomfort. ¡°No thanks. That would feel kind of ackward.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Naomi said with a chuckle. ¡°Very well then. Coachmen, take us to West Chrimoria. The abandon warehouse north of precinct 7.¡±

    They arrived at their destination about half an hour later, and it was a place Holden and Sable were all too familiar with. This was the same abaondoned building where Sable had been tied up the same day he and Holden first met. It was the place here their partnership began. Now it was a dumping ground for a murder victim that hopefully would give them some clues into the missing officials.

    Once everyone started filtering out of the carriage, a question popped into Holden¡¯s head that he couldn¡¯t believe he hadn¡¯t though of sooner. ¡°Wait. Naomi, why are we coming here? Is the victim relevant to the case?¡±

    ¡°You mean the guard didn¡¯t ecplain?¡± Naomi asked, scowling at the guard in question.

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame him,¡± Holden insisted. ¡°I kind of overreacted when he gave me the news.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I see.¡± Naomi then cleared her throat. ¡°Well, this person had a badge on her that identified her as a government employee. Though it was too damaged to tell what department of the government.

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Holden replied. ¡°So, we suspect it could be one of our missing persons.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Naomi said. She was about to go walking toward the crime scene when she suddenly turned around to address Holden. ¡°Also, do try to keep your emotions under control, Holden. We need you to have a clear head, if we¡¯re going to save Elliandra and the others.¡±

    ¡°Yes, got it.¡± Holden then gave Sable a sideways glance. It was strange watching Naomi go between overly familiar, and extremely formal. It only made him and Sable wonder what her deal with them was. However, there was still a job to do. Digging into the director¡¯s eccentric behavior would only slow them down.

    Naomi took the lead, and made her way onto the crime scene with Holden, Sable, Durik, and the one guard following behind her. The body had been found only a couple of hours prior, and reported to the police. They in turn reported it to Naomi, because they wanted to use her divination magic to identify the murderer.

    The body was found in the same part of the building where Sable had been tied up. It was still lain out right where it was found surrounded by several officers, and a man in an inspectors uniform leaning over it with his back turned to the group.

    ¡°This is creepy,¡± Sable said when they arrived looking at Holden. ¡°Do you think this was intentional?¡±

    ¡°Doubtful,¡± Holden replied. ¡°Likely just a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°No way. This has got to be planned. I¡¯m telling you that it¡¯s the red pixie. And she¡¯s going after us.¡±

    ¡°Cat, you¡¯re mental. How would the red pixie know that we¡¯d be the ones investigating this? Use your head.¡±

    Their bickering was interrupted y the inspector assigned to the murder, who was none other then Alwin. ¡°Would you two stop bickering. It¡¯s getting on my nerves.¡±

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    Holden and Sable both said his name in unison. Holden then asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re the one assigned to this case. What did you find out?¡±

    Alwin¡¯s eyes wandered over to Naomi as he listened to Holden¡¯s question. ¡°You nknow I can¡¯t share that information with you, especially in front of the director of the Mages Union.¡±

    Naomi made a dismissive gesture. ¡°Don¡¯t worry inspector. Holden and Sable have been hired to investigate the missing government officials per my request. You can share any information with them, so long as it pertains to the investigation.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Alwin said with a hint of curiosity. ¡°Well by luck or misfortune, the body we have here belongs to one of the missing persons, Sia Reinhouse.¡±

    ¡°The inspector from the Workplace Compliance Union. She was the fourth to be kidnapped. Agh, does this mean the others are already dead? Or was there some other motive behind this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We haven¡¯t heard of any of the others showing up dead. The director would¡¯ve been notified if that were the case.¡±

    Sable looked over the body. It was scorched beyond recognition. He couldn¡¯t even identify it via scent. ¡°Alwin, how did you identify her body?¡±

    ¡°One of our diviners was able to identify her with a spell,¡± Alwin explained. ¡°Though they couldn¡¯t determine how she died. That¡¯s why we asked the director of the Mages Union to come here.¡±

    Naomi took that as her cue to step in and get to work. ¡°Fortunately, I have everything I¡¯ll need to cast my best divination spells. I¡¯lll just need help setting up the magic circle, if you all don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Naomi had a handbag with her that was magical enchanted to be bigger on the inside then it was on the outside. It also reduced the weight of everything inside, making it easier to carry. Naomi pulled out several items from this bag. The first of which was a book full of ritual spells. Many spells within the divination class of magic require a ritual to cast, which meant it required the use of a magic circle and certain items to perform.

    The spell Naomi planned to cast was a rank 4 spell that would allow her to see everything that happened to the target of the spell for the past three days. This would hopefully provide them with a lead on who kidnapped Sia Reinhouse. Although, Naomi didn¡¯t get her hopes up given how divination magic hasn¡¯t been able to identify the culprit so far.

    Regardless, she gave directions to Holden and the others to help set up the ritual. The magic circle had the same dual-circle found in Naomi¡¯s office with runes written between the two circles. Once the magic circle was finished, twelve lit candles on candle holders made from fine crystals were placed equal distance around the circle. Naomi then covered her face in a veil made from the skin of a white snake. She held a ruby in one hand, and a sapphire in the other. The charred body was laid down in the center of the circle. Naomi sat on her knees in front of the body with a crystal ball in her lap. She then began chanting the words for the spell.

    ¡°Time is but an illusion of our finite understanding created by our limited perception. The truth is all that has happened and all that will happen is happening now, in the moment of the eternal now. All of eternity can be found in the present. So, show me a glimpse of the present that I wish to see.¡± Naomi than held out her hands toward Sia Reinhouse¡¯s dead body. ¡°Show me the sequence of events that have led to this unfortunate soul¡¯s demise. Grand Divination.¡±

    The faint trails of smoke from the twelve candles met just above the center of the magic circle forming a large ball of smoke that descended upon Naomi, who¡¯s eyes began to glow brightly. The large ball of smoke was then absorbed by the crystal ball on Naomi¡¯s lap. The scene of Sia Reinhouse¡¯ death then started playing above the magic circle for all to see.

    It began with Sia arriving in her office. Her eyes popped the moment she laid eyes on the chair behind her desk. However, the chair was empty, causing confusion among all of those watching the scene along with Naomi. Sia was then knocked on conscious, then disappeared. The next scene wa of her death. Sia suddenly appeared in the exact location where her body was found. It then looked as if her entire body spontaneously combusted. She burned to death in agony, and that was the last thing Naomi¡¯s magic revealed to them. With the spell now complete, the ruby, the sapphire, and the crystal ball all shattered into tiny pieces.

    Naomi huffed in both shock and exacerbation. ¡°It looks like the culprit is blocking divination. But why did we only witness the vents of her disappearance and death, and nothing else in-between? There was at least a full day between those two events.¡±

    Despite his studies of magic, Sable still didn¡¯t know much about divination magic. It was because of this and his curiosity the cait-sith felt compelled to ask, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying your spell should¡¯ve showed us all of those events, but something is blocking divination?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Lead can block divination, so long as there is enough in it. Though, Sia would¡¯ve had to have been held hostage in a lead container, or a lead mine for it to work. That being said, that doesn¡¯t explain how the culprit concealed themselves.¡±

    Sable then recalled his and Holden¡¯s most recent case. ¡°Mars Rent had an item in his possession that allowed him to block divination. Though I¡¯m not sure what it was since Holden and I never laid eyes on it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Naomi asked, looking to Holden for confirmation.

    ¡°It is,¡± Holden said. ¡°Maybe the culprit is using something similar. Could we get a look at the report for his case?¡±

    ¡°I can request the files. But it¡¯ll take some time,¡± Naomi informed them. ¡°It would be faster if someone from the police department requested it.¡± She then glanced at Alwin. ¡°Like a certain inspector who¡¯s current case might involve such an item.¡±

    Alwin sighed, feeling a sudden headache coming on. ¡°I have a feeling I¡¯m about to get caught up in all kinds of trouble. You¡¯re the director of the Mages Union. Couldn¡¯t you request it yourself?¡±

    ¡°You have any idea how much work that¡¯ll require?¡± Naomi said, hands on her hips. ¡°Even though I am working with the police, bureaucracy demands that I fill out a bunch of forms and get approval from the police commissioner before any files unrelated to my case are disclosed to me. As an inspector, though, you don¡¯t have to jump through as many hoops.¡± A cheeky grin then appeared on Naomi¡¯s face. ¡°Plus, seeing as you¡¯re a fellow inspector, you might just be able to coax the information out of the one assigned to the case.¡±

    ¡°Just as I thought,¡± Alwin grumbled. ¡°Now I¡¯m getting caught up in a big mess.¡±

    ¡°This is your case now,¡± Holden reminded him. ¡°You¡¯re the inspector assigned to the murder of Sia Reinhouse. So, suck it up. You¡¯re opart of the team now.¡±

    ¡°Getting to work with the infamous Holden, and the sensational singing cat, along with the director of the Mages Union to boot.¡± Alwin then scowled from stress, adopting a mocking tone to further show his displeasure. ¡°What an honor.¡±

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 5

    Later that afternoon, Alwin arrived at precinct 5 in northern Chrimoria. Sapphira Falls where Mars Rent lived was within this precinct¡¯s jurisdiction, so one of their inspectors was assigned his case. The inspector Alwin was looking for was Inspector Glenrock Hardfall Jr., who was the son of Captain Hardfall of precinct 3.

    Alwin shoed his badge to the officer at the front desk, and was allowed to talk to the inspector. He waited several minutes in Inspector Hardfall¡¯s office before the inspector arrived.

    ¡°Inspector Trist,¡± Inspector Hardfall said, greeting Alwin with his last name and title. ¡°I hear you need my counsel on a case. Though I couldn¡¯t imagine why.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s involving a case that is technically still an open investigation. If it were an old case, I¡¯d just request the report. Though I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s one that just opened today.¡±

    Inspector Hardfall raised an eyebrow as he took a seat behnd his desk. ¡°The only case I¡¯m working on is the one involve RavenEye¡¯s publisher, Mars Rent. What could you possibly want to know?¡±

    ¡°Well, the details of my current case are currently classified. But let¡¯s just say the person I¡¯m looking for has means of evading even the most powerful divination magic.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re assigned to the case to find all of the government officials who have gone missing?¡±

    Alwin didn¡¯t give the man an answer. Even though word of the disappearances had spread to the entire police force, much of the information was still classified to prevent public panic. Even the officers who were scouring all of Chrimoria weren¡¯t privy to all of the details of the case, which was why Alwin was proceeding with caution.

    Inspector Hardfall took Alwin¡¯s silence as confirmation of his theory. ¡°Very well. Just like you, I can¡¯t divulge any information on my open cases, since we aren¡¯t working together in an official capacity. But I can tell you that based off my experiences there are at least three ways someone could counter divination magic. The first is lead, which I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well aware of. There are also counter-divination spells. However, there is a third way that isn¡¯t as well known. A mineral imbued with magic called Delirium.¡±

    ¡°You mean like the symptom?¡±

    ¡°The mineral is named after the symptom because of it¡¯s unique characteristic of distorting divination magic. It can also shatter illusions, interfere with teleportation spells, and all manner of other things. They can be turned into rings, jewelry, and all sorts of stuff.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I think that information will help me with my investigation. Thank you.¡± Alwin and Inspector Hardfall shook hands before Alwin left to meet up with Holden and the others.

    ***

    While Alwin went off to precinct 5, Holden and Sable decided to try leaning on their own connections. The guard who had gone with thr group to the scene of Sia Reinhouse¡¯s murder ended up escorting Naomi back to the Mages Union, while Holden, Sable, and Durik went off to Undercity.

    Their reason was to talk to Ike, who seemed to have some knowledge about the Leudox and their operations. The Leudox were still one of the main suspects in the disappearance. Holden and Sable were hoping that Ike might know something that would be able t help them.

    When they arrived at Ike¡¯s pub, Camille, Scalia, and a young fox-beastfolk girl who Holden had run into twice now were all sitting at a table together, while Ike was working the bar serving customers.

    Ike had a complicated expression when he saw Holden and Sble walking in with a giant minotaur. He wasn¡¯t sure whether to be glad to see them, or if he should be worrie, since they had only ever talked when something was wrong.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the infamous detective and the singing cat gracing my umble pub with their presence,¡± Ike jeered. ¡°What trouble are you two bringing to my doorstep? And what¡¯s with the big fella?¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t here to get you caught up in any trouble,¡± Holden replied. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about. We just wanted some information.¡± Holden then scanned the room ,wondering where Atticus was, only to make eye contact with the young fox girl, who was scowling at him. ¡°I see the little missy over there still isn¡¯t very fond of my for some reason.¡±

    Ike looked over at the fox girl and chuckled. ¡°You mean Salina? Yeah. I asked her about that once. She refused to say anything though.¡±

    Sable kept his eyes on the fox girl, looking closely at her face. There was something about her that seemed familiar. The girl had white hair and sparkling blue eyes, which were common features for fox beastfolk. However, that wasn¡¯t it. It was her facial features that caught Sable¡¯s attention. The cait-sith then had a sudden revelation, and jumped onto Holden¡¯s shoulders to whisper in his ear. ¡°Hey, doesn¡¯t that girl remind you of the director?¡±

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    Holden squinted his eyes to look at the fox girl more closely. ¡°Yeah. She does. Almost the spitting image. Think they¡¯re related?¡±

    The two of them continued to stare at her, causing Salina¡¯s to shiver. She quickly darted her eyes away from them, then switched seats, hiding behind Scalia.

    Ike cleared his throat to get Holden and Sable¡¯s attention. ¡°Would you two stop staring at the kid? It¡¯s kind of creepy.¡±

    Holden turned back to Ike and apologized. ¡°Sorry. She just looks an awful lot like someone we¡¯ve met recently.¡±

    ¡°Does she now? Then I guess you probably met her good-for-nothing mother. Don¡¯t know much about her, other than she¡¯s some high-ranking government official who can use divination magic.¡±

    Holden and Sable were both taken aback. Their first thought was Naomi, but why would her daughter be living in such conditions. Naomi didn¡¯t come across as the type of woman who would neglect her child.

    ¡°Know anything else?¡± Holden asked, not wanting to jump to any conclusions.

    ¡°Just that her mother had Salina whenshe was young. Left the pour girl at an orphanage, because she didn¡¯t want to deal with her. I¡¯d guess Salin¡¯as mom is probab;y in her late twenties, Maybe thirties. I asked the rphanage that took her in a while ago, but that¡¯s all they knew.¡±

    Both Holden and Sable breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Probabl not who we met then,¡± sable said. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s get back to why we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Holden concurred. ¡°Anyways, Ike. We¡¯re investigating the Leudox at the moment, and thought you mightbeable to help us.¡±

    ¡°You two got wrapped up with the Leudox again?¡± Ikre asked, then looked at Duri, who had just been standing there with his arms crossed the whole time. ¡°Is that why you got the big guy here with you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t go into all of the details. But do you know of any means theyight have for blocking divination magic? Or somewhere where the might keep high-value hostages?¡±

    ¡°Anti-divination and high-value hostages.¡± Ike reiterated. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like any red flags. Well, I can¡¯t say I know of anything. Camille might¡¯ve heard a whisper though.¡±

    Ike then called Camille over, who smiled when she saw Holden. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the two creeps making eyes at our dear, sweat Salina.¡±

    Holden waved his hands in protest. ¡°Whoa there. Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. She just reminded me of someone. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Sounds like a terrible pickup line someone might use at a bar.¡±

    ¡®I swear, it¡¯s nothing weird. Back me up Sable? Durik?¡±

    Durik grumbled, and decided to help Holden out. ¡°That girl resembles my employer. A woman with a lot of power and influence within Chrimoria. Their similarities are rather striking. Though they aren¡¯t related, I can see why these two might think that.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Camilla said, hands on hips. ¡°Okay. I believe you. I was just messing with you anyways. So, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re looking for Leudox hideouts where they might be keeping high-value hostages. And any methods they might have for hiding from divination.¡±

    Camille twirled her hair around her finger as she thought back to all of the rumors she had heard about the Leudox, Especially the ones she heard when she was a working girl for them. Nothing related to divination magic came to mind. However, she recalled overhearing whispers of a Leudox hideout that might be the answer to Holden¡¯s question. ¡°Back when I was working for the Leudox as a-.¡± She paused, a little embarrassed to say it out loud amongst all of the customers. ¡°Well, you know. I overheard a couple of Leudox underbosses talking about a secret place they had outside of Chrimoria where some people were being kept. It seemed like something most members of the Leudox didn¡¯t even know about.¡±

    ¡°Could it just be a place in another city?¡±

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so. They way they were talking about it was like it was somewhere in the wilderness. They said law enforcement would ever find it. And that the bog mist made the air somewhat unpleasant. That¡¯s all I have to go on, though.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the marshlands south of Chrimoria? There¡¯s an area that referred to as the Hollows. There¡¯s an abandoned settlement out there. It¡¯s mainly a bunch of old, decrepit houses.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s likely the place,¡± Camille said. ¡°It¡¯s just outside of Chrimoria¡¯s jurisdiction. In disputed territory no less, so law enforcement can¡¯t follow them. Technically speaking. No one can, since that land isn¡¯t owned by any of the major city-states within the Western Confederacy.¡±

    ¡°Truly ingenious,¡± Sable admitted. ¡°They are practically untouchable out there.¡±

    Camille nodded their head. ¡°Yeah. Practically. If there were ever a place someone wanted to hold a high-valued hostage from Chrimoria, that would be the place.¡±

    Holden put a hand on Camille¡¯s shoulder,, and thanked her. ¡°This has been a big help. I¡¯ll owe you one, if this tip turns out to help our investigation.¡±

    Camille blushed from Holden¡¯s touch. ¡°Oh. Well, you¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m glad I might¡¯ve been of some help.¡±

    ¡°Now that I¡¯m thinking about it,¡± Holden said to Ike. ¡°Where exactly is Atticus? Did the vagrant already leave you?¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± Ike replied. ¡°I sent him out to pick up an order of supplies for the pub. Actually, if you¡¯re going out to the marshlands, you might consider taking him with you.¡±

    ¡°If you weren¡¯t so busy at work, I¡¯d ask you to come, too.¡±

    Ike laughed. ¡°I¡¯d love to beat up some Leudox thugs. But like you said, I¡¯ve got work. Plus, there¡¯s been a few other would be assassins coming to try to take mine and Camille¡¯s heads. Seems turning in Sorten put us at the top of their wanted list.¡±

    ¡°Should I not bring Atticus with me then? Sounds like you guys could use all the fighting power you can get your hands on.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My circle of allies has grown since then.¡± A few men sitting at the bar then held up their glasses in solidarity and smirked before Ike continued. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine if you take Atticus away from us for a day or two.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Holden said. ¡°Tell him to meet us in front of the Mages Union as soon as he can.¡±

    Holden and Sable bid Ike and the others farewell, then left with Durik to return to the Mages Union, where they would meet up with Alwin and Naomi to discuss the next step in their investigation.

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 6

    Upon arriving at the Mages Union, Holden, Sable, and Durik met with Alwin and Naomi in Naomi¡¯s office at the top floor to share the information they had found. Alwin¡¯s discovery was the most surprising to everyone there, since most people had never heard of delirium.

    Everyone glanced at Naomi, wondering if she knew anything about this mineral. Knowing exactly what was on everyone¡¯s minds, she just closed her eyes and shook her head.

    ¡°Regardless, we know of a potential method now,¡± Alwin said. ¡°The issue is neither myself, nor the director can investigate the Hollows. It¡¯s outside of Chrimoria¡¯s jurisdiction.¡±

    ¡°So that just leaves Sable and I,¡± Holden said, grateful that he had asked Ike to reach out to Atticus. ¡°We have an associate who can help us if we need back-up, but we¡¯re dealing with a Leudox hideout. More back-up will be necessary.¡±

    ¡°Durik can go with you,¡± Naomi said. ¡°He¡¯s technically still a mercenary. Plus, you helped prove his innocence. We can say you hired him. Will that be okay with you, Durik?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the minotaur nodded. ¡°I owe Holden and Sable my life. I¡¯ll gladly follow them into danger.¡±

    With their next step settled, Holden, Sable, and Durik left Naomi¡¯s office. They made their way outside of the Mages Union, where they found Atticus waiting for them. He was a lot less disheveled then before. Although his hair was still long, and his beard was grown out, Atticus was a lot more well-groomed. He was also wearing a clean set of leather armor, and had an iron sword on his hip. Furthermore, Atticus wasn¡¯t alone.

    A young man by the name of Mathias. The very same man who Holden and Sable helped find his missing sword, was standing beside Atticus. Mathias grinned when he saw Holden and Sable leaving the Mages Union. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t my two heroes. I¡¯m running into a lot of acquaintances today.¡±

    ¡°Oh, look. It the kid who lost his sword,¡± Sable jeered. ¡°I see it¡¯s firmly on your hip now.¡±

    ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Holden said. ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    Mathias rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly how to respond to Sable¡¯s quip, so he just ignored the cait-sith¡¯s comment and focused on Holden instead. ¡°I ran into Atticus in the Undercity. I hardly recognized him at first, though.¡±

    ¡°Make sense, I guess,¡± Holden replied. ¡°But what brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Atticus told me that he was going to help you with an assignment that required fighter. So I decided I¡¯d see if you could use my help.¡± Mathias then caressed the hilt of his blade. ¡°I do still owe you for helping me find this sword.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good timing. We were just about tohead out to the Hollows, and we could use all the help we could get. Though I should warn you,¡± Holden said holding up a cautionary finger. ¡°We¡¯re going up against the Leudox.¡±

    Mathias took a step back, stunned from hearing that name. ¡°The Leudox. They¡¯re one of Thanador¡¯s largest criminal organizations. Just what did you all get caught up in?¡±

    Sable pawed at Mathias¡¯s shins. ¡°Getting cold feet?¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t obligated to help us,¡± Holden said. ¡°They¡¯re a dangerous organization, and you come from a small noble house far away from here. Trying to take them on could put you in unnecessary danger.¡±

    Mathias put his hand on his chest while he calmed himself down from the shock. ¡°It¡¯s certainly frightening thinking of the power the Leudox hold. But I shall repay my debts. I do come from a family of knights. Valor and honor shall be put above my own personal safety.¡±

    With Mathias joining the group, they now had four competent fighters. Even though, Holden had no idea what would be waiting for them in the Hollows, he was confident their little group would be able to make it there and back without issue. If they ran into an overwhelming force, they should be able to get away quickly.

    ***

    The Hollows was located south of Chrimoria. It was disputed territory between Chrimoria, the adjacent kingdom known as the Arclight Kingdom, and the city-state to the south called Lamyros. All three sovereign states laid claim to the Hollows, and attempted to settle the area around forty-five years ago. However, their attempts ended in a bloody conflict between those sent to settle the land, leading to an agreement that none would enter the disputed territory for fifty years.

    That being said, the agreement couldn¡¯t prevent regular people from entering or exiting the area. Just the military forces, and governing officials of the three powers laying claim to the area. Because of this many criminals made the ruins of the old settlements into their dens. Although they were the typical thieves, gangs, or other organized crime groups you would find in Undercity. Rather, they were usually individuals who wanted to stay out of the public eye like murderers, rapists, escaped convicts, bandits, and other despicable types of criminals that had nothing to do with organized crime. The fact that an organization like the Leudox would have a base in the area was out of the ordinary, because there would be no end to the number of degenerates to deal with.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Holden and the others made their way into the marshes south of Chrimoria. The bog mist was thin that day, providing them with excellent visibility. They had to travel two miles on foot into the marshes until the finally left Chrimoria¡¯s territory, and entered the Hollows. Even then, there was still some distance between the border of the two territories, and the settlement which was their goal.

    The area known as the Hollows was dozens of square miles. Fortunately, the settlement they were heading to only few hours hike away from Chrimoria itself. Holden and the others would be able to reach it before sundown, as long as they kept up a steady pace.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether our arrival time will be a blessing, or a curse,¡± Holden said, tiptoeing around a large mud puddle on a trail leading through the marshes.

    Bleh! Sable said, looking at the mud puddle from atop Holden¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine why anyone would fight over a place like this.¡±

    Holden just ignored the cait-sith¡¯s complain, carrying on with his original topic of conversation. ¡°Night time is when all of the bandits come home. But its also when all of the rapists and murders have gone to the city. Not sure which I¡¯d rather deal with.¡±

    Durik grunted at Holden¡¯s complaint. ¡°I¡¯d rather burn the whole place to the ground. Or at the very least, behead ever degenerate we come across.¡±

    ¡°There certainly won¡¯t be anyone stopping you from doing that. It¡¯s survival of the fittest out here in the Hollows. Though that means we¡¯ll have to watch our backs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad our group is only full of men,¡± Atticus said. ¡°We¡¯ll draw far less attention that way.¡±

    ¡°I see what you mean,¡± Holden said. ¡°Any woman going into a place like this would have to be a true warrior. Or so ugly know man would want to be with her.¡±

    Sable shook his head at Holden. ¡°And what is your definition of a true warrior? You¡¯re always saying how you¡¯re no match for one. But I¡¯ve seen you take on swordsmen before. You even defeated that Sorten the Saber guy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I said it before, Cat. A true warrior is someone who¡¯s elite. Not your common military grunt, or beat cop.

    I can toy with those types all day. Someone like Durik here, though, I¡¯d have to rely on stealth and underhanded tactics if I wanted to beat him in a fight.¡±

    Sable looked the minotaur up and down. He had bulging muscles, and a warrior¡¯s physique. The minotaur looked like he could crush a boulder with his bare hands, or toss a man around like a ragdoll. Though the cait-sith had never seen Durik fight, he assumed he would annihilate anyone they came across. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a good thing we have the big guy with use. I¡¯ve gotten used to it just being you and me.¡±

    Holden smirked. ¡°Yeah. But most detectives aren¡¯t usually the brawny types. We¡¯re usually a good balance of smarts, and skill. Not big, bulky fighters like Durik. In fact, I think our little Mathias here might benefit from training your mind a little more.¡±

    Mathias¡¯s eyebrows twitched from Holden¡¯s comment. ¡°Are you saying I don¡¯t have enough talent with the sword?¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is you¡¯re kind of a little guy. You¡¯re strong for your size. But if you find yourself face-to-face with someone who has equal talent, but a larger frame, you won¡¯t be able to win using brute force. You¡¯ll have to rely on other tactics.¡±

    ¡°You mean I¡¯ll have to fight dirty? As I knight I find the idea appalling.¡±

    ¡°Call it dirt, dishonorable, or cheating all you want. You chivalry won¡¯t do you any good in a real fight. Especially against the kinds of people we¡¯re going up against. Someone like Sorten the Saber will knock you out cold, and there¡¯ll be quite a few of those types where we¡¯re going.¡±

    ¡°Well, if my sword is true, and my heart is pure-.¡±

    ¡°Let me stop you right there,¡± Holden said, making a stopping gesture with his hand. ¡°That¡¯s all well and good. But whether you died with honor, or died using dirty tricks makes no difference. When you¡¯re dead, you¡¯re dead. And you won¡¯t be able to protect the things you cherish unless you survive.¡±

    Durik nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Although we minotaur are straight forward fighters, the man has a point. If the world were an ideal place we could all fight wars with our honor, and sense of righteousness intact. Unfortunately, this world is a much crueler place then I¡¯d like to admit.¡±

    Mathias gave the minotaur a sideways glance. ¡°In an ideal world their be no war, or no fighting.¡±

    Durik bellowed out a hardy laugh while slapping Mathias on the back. ¡°I guess we have different ideas about what an ideal world looks like. For minotaurs, might makes right, so a world full of endless battles where we can prove our strength sounds like a paradise.¡±

    Sable sighed at the groups banter. ¡°And here I am a weak little cait-sith. We can¡¯t even use high ranking spells, much less develop the muscle mass needed for combat.¡±

    Durik laughed once again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little kitty. Like the detective was saying to the kid earlier, you can make up for your lack of brawn with your brain. Become so wise and knowledgeable that even a meat-head like me will see your value.¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll keep studying at the library then.¡±

    Holden smirked. ¡°More like let Leryssa scratch your tummy while you purr like a kitten.¡±

    Sable almost coughed up a hairball after hearing those words coming from Holden, who sounded so sure of it that the cait-sith thought he had seen it himself. It was true that Leryssa would often end up petting Sable, scratching him behind his ears his belly, and just treat Sable like a cat in general. Though Sable would allow it to happen, that didn¡¯t mean he like at. At least that¡¯s what he told himself. In truth,t he cait-sith actually loved the attention, but there was no way he was going to admit it to Holden of all people. ¡°You¡¯re daft if you think Leryssa ever does that to me. Elves know better than to treat fey creatures like pets.¡±

    Everybody laughed at Sable¡¯s defensiveness before Holden responded. ¡°Sure. Whatever you say, Cat.¡±

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 7

    Meanwhile, Elliandra was still tied up and blind folded in the same undisclosed location where she had awakened in before. She had tried loosening the ropes keeping her wrists bound, but had no luck. Furthermore, no matter how many times she shouted for someone to answer her, no response ever came.

    Elliandra growled. While she was afraid at first, that fear had turned into anger and frustration, causing her to grind her teeth.

    ¡°Hey, come on. I know someone is out there,¡± Elliandra shouted, expecting there to be no response like before. However, to her surprise, the person she had spoke to when she first awakened came walking toward her and replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re struggling in vain, ¡° the unknown person said. ¡°We¡¯re outside of Chrimoria¡¯s jurisdiction. So no one will be coming for you.¡±

    ¡°I have friends who don¡¯t care about things like jurisdiction. They¡¯ll cut your throat when you¡¯re not looking.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about that PI and his mouthy cat?¡± the unknown person then chuckled. ¡°We know the two of them all too well. They¡¯ve been a minor nuisance. But nothing e can¡¯t handle. Now shut up. Your constant bellowing is obnoxious.¡±

    Elliandra then heard the footsteps walking away from her. She tried yelling at the person to come back, but they just ignored her. Elliandra was left with nothing else to do other than struggle to free herself. With her hands bound the way they were, she was unable to use magic. With her feet bound, she was unable to move about. No matter how hard Elliandra struggled and squirmed, she was powerless. It filled her with a sense of foreboding that bgan to slowly gnaw on her willpower.

    Just who was this person holding her captive? And where exactly was she?All of these questions constantly plagued her mind, but the enemy gave her no reprive. Not even an ounce of information that might allude to their identity or location, aside from the fact that she was no longer in Chrimoria. That fact alone dashed her hopes that Holden, or anyone for that matter, would be finding her any time soon.

    ***

    Holden and the others arrived at their destination around nightfall. It was a settlement called Shayfield, named after its founder. Most of the building were made of stone, and were on the verge of collapse from neglect. However, a few larger ones remained standing.

    One such building was the town tavern. It had two floors with the first being the tavern floor where food and drinks were served. Although it was hard to tell from the outside, the second floor likely was made up of guest rooms, essentially making the second floor an inn run out of the tavern. There was light coming from within the tavern, along with the sounds of rowdy men clanking cups together.

    ¡°Sounds like they¡¯re celebrating,¡± Sable said. ¡°Are these bandits, rapists, or murderers?¡±

    ¡°Bandits,¡± Holden said. Their the only sort who live here that would gather in such a large group. My guess is they got a pretty big score.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re avoiding this place then? How are we supposed to find the Leu-.¡± Sable suddenly felt an ominous energy permeating throughout the area. It was magic, but it gave off a chilling feeling that made the cait-sith shutter. He followed the flow of the magic to a hooded figure wearing black mage robes making her way to the tavern.

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    This hooded figure was a woman. Although Sable couldn¡¯t see her face at the moment, he could see her pale hands. There was also something else following closely behind her. It was some kind of presence not visible to the naked eye, but Sable could sense a similar ominous aura coming from this presence.

    Sable looked up at Holden with trembling eyes. ¡°Holden, any clue what that is? I¡¯m getting bad vibes from that woman.¡±

    Holden grit his teeth. As he watched the hooded woman enter the tavern ¡°I got a feeling I know who that is. She¡¯s not someone we want to cross. Best stay out of her way until she¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°Done?¡± Sable asked in a mix of fear and curiosity. ¡°What do you mean by done?¡±

    Ahhhh! The shrieks of dying men from inside the tavern broke out as the ominous energy Sable had felt earlier grew much stronger. A black mist poured out of the doors and windows of the tavern. Within moments, the screms subsided, and it was dead silent.

    The hodded woman then came walking out of the tavern after the black mist dispersed. She noticed the group, and removed her hood, showing her face for all to see. The woman¡¯s face was just as pale as her hands, and she had a scar that looked some large creature had dragged its claws across her face. She was human, and staring at her pupils made one feel like they were looking into an abyss.

    Most of the group froze when they saw this woman, except for Holden, who went up to her as if she were an old acquaintance he hadn¡¯t seen in years. ¡°Leana, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re in the middle of one of your experiments again.¡±

    The woman¡¯s face remained neutral. It almost seemed like she hadn¡¯t even noticed Holden¡¯s presence, yet she greeted him nonetheless. ¡°Holden, I haven¡¯t seen you out here in months.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been longer than that, Leana. It¡¯s been at least two years.¡±

    ¡°Oh, has it?¡± She said, showing no signs of surprise. ¡°Time seems to travel quickly in the Hollows. It¡¯s the perfect laboratory for me.¡±

    ¡°Using criminals in one of your twisted experiments, I presume? That¡¯s what got you banished from Lamyros in the first place.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no better use for death row criminals,¡± Leanna said apathetically. ¡°Besides, my research is for the greater good of society.¡±

    ¡°Still trying to bring the dead back to life. Typical necromancer, though. Most people who stray from the path of medical magic do so because they¡¯re trying to save someone. I hope you haven¡¯t lost your sanity after all of these years.¡±

    ¡°Medical magic and necromancy are two sides of the same coin. If we woant to bring back the dead, we must be able to keep their souls bound to their bodies. Only necromancy can achieve that.¡±

    There was truth to what Leanne was saying. Medical magic was magic that healed, while necromancy was magic that caused decay. They were like a positive and a negative. Put the two together, and they¡¯d cancel each other out.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, Leanna. I¡¯m just here looking for the Leudox.¡±

    Leanna nodded her head, and pointed a finger down the street. ¡°They made a base for themselves over there. It¡¯s on a farm just outside of town. Morlax said he felt strange magical fluctuations coming from that area the past few days. They must be doing some kind of ritual.¡±

    ¡°Give Morlax my thanks as well. Though I guess he can probably hear me.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Holden. Just because you don¡¯t see or hear anything, doesn¡¯t mean there is nothing there.¡±

    Leanna then waved goodbye, and started walking away. Sable could feel the strange presence follow her as she left. He finally breathed a sigh of relief once she was out of sight. ¡°That woman was creepy. Just how do you know here, Holden?¡±

    ¡°I did a job for her around the time I first moved to Chrimoria. His isn¡¯t my first time in the Hollows. Though I¡¯d like it to be my last, if at all possible.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Sable said. ¡°By the way, who¡¯s the Morlax person she was talking about?¡±

    ¡°Morlax is a wraith she keeps by her side. It¡¯s like a dark spirit created using necromancy that¡¯s invisible to the naked eye.¡±

    Sable shivered at Holden¡¯s response. ¡°Do you mean it¡¯s like some sort of ghost?¡±

    ¡°No. Ghosts aren¡¯t real. It¡¯s just a spiritual being. Not the soul of a dead person.¡±

    Mathias rubbed the back of hhis neck in confusion. ¡°Those kind of sound like the same thing to me.¡±

    Holden slapped his forehead in surrender. ¡°Let¡¯s just forget about it, and go find the Leudox. The captives are waiting.¡±

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 8

    They all made their way in the direction Leanna had pointed to, and found a large farm exactly like she had said they would. The fields were filled with fruit trees of several different varieties, most of which grew well in marsh-like environments. Beyond the fields were a large house and a barn. The barn seemed quiet, while the main house was a bit livelier. Candle lights were coming from inside, suggesting that someone was awake inside the house.

    Holden signaled for the others to remain quiet, and follow him. He then led them to the barn. Given that it was closed up, it was safe to assume that no one would be in there. However, it was better to be thorough just in case. The last thing they needed was any surprises.

    Holden made his way over to a door on the side of the barn. There was a large lock on the door, but it only took Holden a couple of seconds to pick it. The door creaked open, allowing Holden to slip into the dark interior of the barn with the others staying behind him.

    The moment the group entered the barn, Sable felt an unnerving sensation that made him dizzy. The cait-sith fell off of Holden¡¯s shoulders, hitting the wood floor with a thwack.

    Everyone froze, thinking they had just been compromised. However, there was nothing but a bunch of muffled mumbling. Holden pulled a glowing stone out of his bag to light up the room. The first thing they noticed were a bunch of large crates scatter about the area. One of them had been busted open, revealing a bunch of strange purple stones within. These stones made everyone dizzy when they looked at them directly. However, the most startling thing was the three people all bound, blindfolded, and had their mouths covered to prevent them from speaking. They were all mumbling and grumbling, while struggling to get themselves free.

    Holden moved closer so he could get a look at each of their faces. They were Elliot Manson, Captain Briarthorn, and Celia Kamrot; three of the people who had gone missing along with Elliandra recently.

    Holden removed the cloth preventing Captain Briarthorn from talking, then asked. ¡°Are there any other captives?¡±

    Captain Briarthorn yelped. ¡°Cut these bindings and I¡¯ll be glad to tell you everything.¡±

    Seeing as they were in Leudox territory, time was of the essence, so Holden didn as he said. ¡°Alright. But you better tell me everything that¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Fine,¡± Captain Briarthron grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure why the Leudox captured us in the first place.¡±

    Holden started cutting through his bindings while asking, ¡°I thought you were working with the Leudox as part of their trafficking ring. They¡¯re cleaning house, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°What!? That¡¯s preposterous. I¡¯ve never worked with the Leudox before. None of us have. Do you even know who I am?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re the captain of precinct 13. Can¡¯t think of any other reason they¡¯d plan on kidnapping and killing you, though.¡±

    ¡°Maybe because we¡¯re enemies.¡± Once he got free, Captain Briarthorn then went for one of Holden¡¯s daggers, only to end up with said dagger pointed at his throat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± Holden hissed, slightly pricking the captain¡¯s neck with the tip of the dagger. ¡°I don¡¯t have an qualms about killing you. Or letting the Leudox do it for me.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. I thought we were enemies. Who are you with then. Followers of Balmusk? Black Wing Mercenaries?¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s who you¡¯re working with,¡± Sable said. ¡°The Leudox are getting rid of competition, not cleaning house. You¡¯re rather loose lipped for a police captain.¡±

    Captain Briarthorn gnashed his teeth, and took a step toward Sable, only to meet the edge of Durik¡¯s ax. ¡°Hold up there, Captain. We have a lot to discuss. Same goes for the rest of you.¡±

    The captain scowled at Durik and the rest of the group. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time here. The Leudox will be coming to check on us any time now.¡±

    Holden drew a second dagger from his belt, and held it up. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. I can just slash your calves, keep you from running, and leave you here to die. Now tell us what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Alright. We don¡¯t work for anyone specifically. We just take bribes, or other favors in exchange for covering up some activity. The Leudox must be rivals with whoever we¡¯re working with, so they probably want to take us out. Not sure why they bothered kidnapping us, though.¡±

    Elliot grunted. He was still bound and blindfolded, but the cloth preventing him from speaking had been removed by Atticus. ¡°I bet you they¡¯re trying to make some kind of statement. Trying to show their rivals in the government that they can kill us, but they can also whisk us away at any moment.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a pretty good guess,¡± Captain Briarthorn admitted. ¡°I¡¯d certain kidnap and kill someone just to make a point.¡±

    Mathias drew his sword, pointing it at the captain. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting. Have you no shame. You¡¯re a man of thelaw.¡±

    ¡°What are you? Some kind of knight? Get that blade out of my face, boy.¡±

    ¡°No. We¡¯re taking you back to Chrimoria where you¡¯ll pay for your crimes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather die.¡± Captain Briarthorn began casting a spell. Holden quickly threw a dagger, piercing the captain¡¯s shoulder. The captain yanked the dagger out, and charged Mathias, only to be chopped in half by Durik¡¯s ax.

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    The minotaur huffed while glaring at Elliot and Celia. ¡°Either of you want to die by the ax tonight? I¡¯d be glad to oblige anyone who wishes to greet their death¡¯s with open arms.¡±

    Elliot and Celia both shook their heads. They were both still bound and blindfolded, yet the two of them could hear Captain Briarthorn being sliced in half. Neither of them wanted to end up that way.

    Atticus proceeded to remove their blindfolds and the ropes binding their legs. He didn¡¯t plan on removing the bindings around their hands, though. It was a precaution to discourage them from attempting to flee.

    Holden was curious about what this purple rock was. His first guess was that it was the delirium that Alwin had mentioned. Holden stuffed a couple fist sized stones into his coat, then gestured for the two captives to follow them. ¡°Like the kid said, you two are going back to Chrimoria to face justice. You¡¯re going to confess everything. In fact, I think we should have a little chat on the way back to town. Starting with Elliandra¡¯s location.¡±

    Elliot and Celia both looked at one another with confused expressions as the group made their way out of the barn. They both shrugged their shoulders, then Elliot asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Elliandra?¡±

    ¡°You know the prosector for the Mages Union,¡± Holden explained. ¡°Wasn¡¯t she with you guys?¡±

    ¡°No. There was only the five-.¡± Elliot paused, and began to quiver.

    Holden and the others turned around to see a group of eight men leaving the main house walking in their direction. Each man was armed with a weapon of some kind. Two of them held wands in their hands. One of these men carrying a wand began giving orders to the others.

    ¡°Surround them. Don¡¯t kill the prisoners. The others are fair game, though.¡±

    Holden, Mathias, Atticus, and Durik all had their weapons at the ready. Sable jumped to the ground, growling at the group of Leudox thugs. Meanwhile, Elliot and Celia cowered in the rear.

    Holden looked at the way each of the thugs held their weapons. None of them looked like professionals, though the mage who was giving orders carried himself with a cool confidence that suggested he actually knew what he was doing. ¡°An ally mage would be a real blessing right now.¡±

    The leader of the Leudox thugs raised his wand above his head. He was about to give the order to attack when both sides felt a sudden chill in the air.

    Aaaahhhhh! A blood curling shriek reverberate all around them. The leader of the Leudox thugs then sudden started to decay rapidly, turning into a pile of mush right before everyone¡¯s eyes.

    Several of the other thugs cried out from shock. One of them then started bellowing out. ¡°The witch. It¡¯s the Witch of the Hollows.¡±

    One by one each thug began to decay at an alarming rate. This was accompanied by a flash of black light right next to Holden. The light appeared and disappeared in the blink of an eye, and Leanna emerged in its place.

    Leanna glanced at Holden with a deadpan expression. ¡°I have a favor I need to ask of you. Morlax will take care of these men in exchange.¡±

    Holden felt a chill run down his spine at her sudden appearance. However, he was able to relax a little when she mentioned a favor. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to creepy or grotesque I hope.¡±

    ¡°No. Nothing of the sort.¡± She then pulled a piece of paper out of her robe¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I just need some things from Chrimoria. Tings I can¡¯t get here in the Hollows.¡±

    Holden took the slip of paper from her hand, and looked it over. ¡°Are you asking me to get groceries? Everything on here is just food.¡±

    ¡°Even the Witch of the Hollows needs to eat. Some of them have uses in medicines as well.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were a necromancer?¡± Holden said. It was more of a statement then a question.

    ¡°Necromancy and medical magic are two sides of the same coin.¡±

    Holden was waiting for her to say more. However, all she did was stare at him with her dead eyes. ¡°I guess you have a point. Probably don¡¯t want to know what kinds of medicine you¡¯re concocting anyway.¡±

    ¡°Nothing harmful. Just the helpful kind.¡±

    Holden wasn¡¯t sure whether or not to believe her. The only expressions he had ever seen Leanna make were apathy, or a complete lack of emotions. It make it difficult to tell if she was lying; almost like her emotions were completely stunted. Regardless, he did now owe her a favor for taking care of the Leudox thugs.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it all of this for you.¡± He then paused to wonder if Elliandra might be somewhere else on the property. ¡°Are there any other Leudox members around? Or perhaps have you seen an elf woman with red hair and crimson eyes? She¡¯s a friend of mine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen no one fitting her description. Nor do I sense any other living things on the premise. If you¡¯re friend was taken by the Leudox, she most likely isn¡¯t here.¡±

    Holden sighed, then thanked Leanna for her assistance. Once all of the thugs were dead, she disappeared from their sight. With her assurance that there weren¡¯t any other Leudox thugs, Holden and the others began their interrogation of the

    ¡°Hey, you two,¡± Holden said, getting the captives¡¯ attention. ¡°So tell us everything. There aren¡¯t any Leudox to worry about anymore. So spill everything you know about the trafficking ring, and anything else you¡¯re involved in.¡±

    Celia was the first to speak up. ¡°I assumed you be more worried about the other person who was with us that the Leudox took away.¡±

    Sable was standing on Holden¡¯s shoulders was again, and turned his head to look at Celia. ¡°You mean Sia Reinhouse and Halrick Ironborn? We already knew what happened to Sia. Though we might be interested in hearing what happened with Halrick.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Celia said with genuine surprise. ¡°I only knew that they took Sia away. What exactly happened to her? Though I think I can already guess.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s dead,¡± Sable replied. ¡°Her body was found earlier today.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Celia said, somberly. ¡°They took her away sometime last night. A couple of men grabbed her, and took her outside of the barn. Same thing happened to Halrick earlier today. Not sure what happened after that.¡±

    ¡°And what of Elliandra?¡±

    ¡°She was never with us. Sia did hear her name mentioned once. Something about a collaborator holding her hostage in another location. That¡¯s all was able to hear, though.¡±

    ¡°I guess we have the beastfolk¡¯s sensitive hearing to thank for that,¡± Holden said, crossing his arms. Since this location was obviously a bust, he wasn¡¯t sure what their next move should be. They had no other leads to follow, other than the knowledge that the Leudox had some other collaborator. ¡°Can you two tell me-.¡±

    Shoop! Right in the middle of Holden¡¯s sentence, he felt a gust of wind rush by him. An arrow then pierced Celia dthrough the heart. Holden and the others turned in the direction of the arrow, but were too late. Another arrow had already pierced Elliot in the head.

    Holden managed to follow the path the arrow took, and that was when he saw it. A man with a grey face and long black hair. He wore black leather armor that covered his entire body, and wielded a rapier, along with a bow and arrow.

    Holden¡¯s face contorted in a mixture of rage, confusion, and bewilderment. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing, because it was a face he was somewhat familiar with. Although he couldn¡¯t understand why they were here, or why they would kill Elliot and Celia. Holden gnashed his teeth while whispering the name of the man under his breath. ¡°Alwin.¡±

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 9

    The group made their way back to the Mages Union with haste. It was already midnight by the time they arrived, so the building wa empty aside from the night shift security guards.

    Holden vigorously pounded on the door. A guard arrived on the other side of the door with his hand on the hilt of his blade. ¡°We¡¯re closed. Come back tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I need to speak to the director,¡± Holden insisted. ¡°It¡¯s urgent.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± the guard said, scoffing at Holden. He was about to walk away when the director came rushing downstair into the lobby, demanding he let Holden and the others in.

    The guard swiftly opened the door, and Holden came bursting through. ¡°Naomi, we have a problem,¡± Holden informed her. ¡°All of the kidnapped officials are dead. And we have no leads on Elliandra¡¯s location.¡±

    Naomi gestured for everyone to follow her upstairs to her office, while Holden explained everything that happened. ¡°The Leudox had a base on a farm in Shayfield. They were keeping the five missing officials in the barn, but there were no signs of Elliandra.¡±

    ¡°Did you discover anything related to her whereabouts?¡±

    ¡°No. Nothing. Though Celia Kamrot mentioned something about the Leudox having a collaborator holding Elliandra hostage.¡± He then pulled the purple stones from the barn out of his coat pocket. ¡°We also found a bunch of these in a crate in the barn.¡±

    Naomi took one of the stones from his hand, and inspected it closely. Her eyes narrowed, then gave it back to Holden. ¡°This is delirium. I did a little research on the mineral, and can say I¡¯m familiar with its capabilities. It would explain why we couldn¡¯t find them. A crate full of it could block divination. Enough of it could even interfere with teleportation spells.¡±

    ¡°But the spell you cast on Sia Reinhouse this morning suggests she was teleported to her place of death. I mean how else could she sudden appear-.¡± Holden then paused, having come up with the answer to his own question. ¡°Unless they didn¡¯t teleport.¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m certain they teleported,¡± Naomi said. ¡°If they were using enough delirium to prevent teleportation, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to witness Sia¡¯s death.¡±

    ¡°What if the culprit attacked them from a distance? Out of range of the delirium¡¯s influence?¡±

    ¡°They would¡¯ve had to have had a way to conceal Sia from divination on their way to the location. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve seen it.¡±

    ¡°Could they have place a delirium ring, or something else on them?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. But why would they take it off before killing Sia. That wouldn¡¯t make sense. Plus, dragging an government official through the city would be a huge hassle.¡±

    ¡°But you said delirium interferes with teleportation in high volumes,¡± Hlden reminded her. ¡°So, how could they have pulled it off while still benefiting from delirium¡¯s divination blocking effects.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯d have to be using a higher ranked teleportation spell. Ranks four or five at least.¡±

    Holden was reminded of the incident with the red pixie when he and Sable were looking for Randy¡¯s stolen manuscript. She had used a powerful teleportation spell. He then glanced at Sable, wondering if the cait-sith was thinking the same thing.

    Holden and the others arrived in Naomi¡¯s office. Alwin was leaning against the desk with his arms crossed, impatiently tapping his foot until he noticed their arrival.

    Holden was taken aback. ¡°Alwin, you¡¯re her?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Alwin said, tilting his hea din confusion. ¡°I¡¯ve been with the director all day helping her look through files on special mages registered with the Mages Union, and known criminals operating in Chrimoria. We figured teleportation was involved, so we¡¯re putting together a pool of suspects.¡±

    Holden walked up to Alwin, and grabbed his shoulder. ¡°We need to talk in private.¡±

    Alwin slapped his hand away, but nodded in agreement. The two of them then stepped out of Naomi¡¯s office. After ensuring no one followed them, Holden shoved one of the delirium stones into Alwin¡¯s hand. ¡°Hold on to that. I¡¯d bet you¡¯d want to keep this information hidden from the others.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Alwin asked, noticing the urgent tone in Holden¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Celia Kamrot and Elliot Manson were killed by someone with a striking resemblance to one of your cover identities. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would¡¯ve thought it was you.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Alwin said in protest. ¡°I¡¯ve been with the director all day. You can ask her yourself.¡±

    ¡°I know. That¡¯s what¡¯s concerning. Somehow your enemies are caught up in this.¡±

    Alwin clicked his tongue in frustration. ¡°There are far too many people involved in this case. Too many organizations. Too many moving parts. This city really is a den of depravity.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if they¡¯re trying to put me on your trail? That means they don¡¯t know who you are yet. But they¡¯re trying to turn people against you. Maybe have the Chrimorian Police Department do it for you.¡±

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    Alwin nodded his hea din agreement. ¡°Did you tell Naomi about who killed Celia and Elliot yet?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not the only one who saw the killer, though. I won¡¯t mention that they looked like one of your cover identities.¡±

    Alwin sighed, while clentching his fists in anger. ¡°This is a big problem. Thanks for having my back, Holden. Now let me return the favor.¡± Alwin then reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. ¡°This is something an informant of mine discovered a couple of days ago. It might help in the current investigation.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re just giving it to me now?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I didn¡¯t get this information using legitimate means.¡±

    Holden chuckled. ¡°Typical Alwin going outside the law to get things done.¡±

    Alwin chuckled in return. ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. Weren¡¯t you a spy who gathered information using trickery, lawbreaking, and falsehoods? You got no right to judge me.¡±

    ¡°Fair point.¡± Holden than read what was written on the slip of paper Alwin gave him.

    It detailed an account of an attack on a Leudox drug lab. Apparently, the person Alwin had received the information from was a survivor of one of these attacks. The attack was sudden. It was committed by several magic users. Though no one ever saw exactly who they were. All they had to go on was the barrage of magic spells raining down on them from above.

    ¡°Leudox drug labs are supposed to be in secret locations,¡± Holden said. He then recalled Ike once mentioning that several Leudox drug labs had been attacked recently during their search for the nox-dragon. ¡°So, somehow their locations were compromised. One of the Leudox¡¯s enemies somehow knew their locations.¡±

    ¡°If those government officials were working with the Leudox, then maybe one of them betrayed the organization,¡± Alwin suggested. ¡°It would make sense why the Leudox would kidnap them before killing them. They wanted to make a big fuss in order to make an example.¡±

    Holden shook his head. ¡°No. Celia did tell me she and the others had no connection with the Leudox. Of course, she never got around to telling me exactly who she worked for.¡±

    ¡°Then the show the Leudox is putting n is a warning for their enemy. But that still doesn¡¯t answer how their enemies knew of the locations of all of the drug labs.¡±

    Holden shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Who knows. We might not get that answer. And it might not matter. The Leudox were collaborating with someone to kidnap all of these government officials. And Elliandra as well. So that means-.¡± Holden paused as he had a sudden revelation. ¡°That means they¡¯re working with someone who doesn¡¯t directly view the Leudox as an enemy, but would view their competition as one.¡±

    Holden then gestured for Alwin to follow him. The two then returned to Naomi¡¯s office. Holden burst through the door, and shouted, ¡°I think I might¡¯ve gotten a break in the case.¡±

    Everyone looked at him with mouth¡¯s slightly agape. Holden didn¡¯t bother to wait for anyone to say anything. He just dove right into his explanation. ¡°The kidnapped officials and the Leudox weren¡¯t working together. They were actually rivals. That means the Leudox kidnapped and killed them to stamp out their competition. However, there¡¯s more to it then that.¡± Holden then paused to catch his breath. His heart was beating with excitement, causing him to sweat profusely, and pant when he talked. ¡°Sable and I have an associate who mentioned Leudox drug labs in Undercity were being attacked. That means there is a war between criminal organizations going on. Celia claimed she and the other kidnapped officials didn¡¯t work with the Leudox, but someone else. This someone else is likely who¡¯s attacking Leudox drug labs.¡±

    Sable and the others followed along with what Holden was saying. The question on everyone¡¯s mind then was, who exactly were the Leudox fighting. Unfortunately, Holden didn¡¯t really have a definitive answer.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know who this enemy is. And that doesn¡¯t matter at the moment. Right now, Elliandra is still missing, and the collaborator Celia mentioned likely has her. That means this collaborator also knows about this enemy the Leudox are facing.¡±

    Sable sighed. ¡°Okay. I follow you. But what are you suggesting?¡±

    Holden took a deep breath before continuing his explanation. ¡°The collaborator is someone who hates the Leudox¡¯s enemy. So, they probably want to work with the Leudox to eliminate them. The enemy of my enemy, and all that.

    My theory is the collaborator somehow knew these government official were working with the enemy, then provided the Leudox with the information. Though the Leudox had a problem.¡±

    Sable¡¯s ears perked up, knowing what Holden was getting at. ¡°A bunch of their men had been imprisoned because of the nox-dragon incident.¡±

    Holden snapped his fingers. ¡°Yes. So, they turned to the collaborator to kidnap Elliandra. She has a reputation for being an uncorruptible prosecutor. And she¡¯s the best prosecutor in the city. But with her out of the picture, someone less competent would have to take her place.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re story makes sense,¡± Namoi said. ¡°But who is this collaborator?¡±

    ¡°Someone with powerful teleportation magic. And someone who would know of delirium, and where you can find it.¡±

    Naomi tapped her chin in contemplation, when she too had a sudden realization. ¡°Are you suggesting there¡¯s a delirium mine in the Hollows?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Holden said, snapping his fingers once again. ¡°It would explain why three sovereign powers are fighting over som swamp without much to it. I can sort of understand Lamyros wanting it, since rthere are probably medicinal plants that row in marsh like environments. But I couldn¡¯t for the life of me imagine why Chrimoria, or the Arclight Kingdom would want such a piece of land, Unless there was something there worth fighting for. Our culprit is likely working out of the delirium mine. And they¡¯re someone working for the Arclight Kingdom, or the Lamyros city-state.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± All of the others in the room said in unison. Holden¡¯s theory, if true, was a huge problem. That would mean this case involved people from other sovereign states, making this a major political issue.

    Naomi walked over to the large window in the back of her office and stared out at the cityscape. ¡°If what you say is true, then we have a major issue on our hands. Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have any evidence to support it. Just wild speculation.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need evidence at this stage,¡± Holden said. ¡°Right now, we just need to find Elliandra. The rest can be worked out some other time.¡±

    ¡°And how do you suppose we find this delirium mine?¡±

    Holden smirked, thinking of how he never wanted to go back to the Hollows. Nor was he looking forward to going through with the idea he had just come up with. ¡°I have an old friend who lives out there. I¡¯ll just ask her about it.¡±

    Sable and the others who had gone to the Hollows with Holden felt a spine-tingling chill. They all knew he was talking about Leanna, but the idea of interacting with her made the bravest among them think twice.

    Holden then showed the list of items Leanna had given to him to Naomi. ¡°But before we go. Do you know of anywhere we can get all of this stuff at this time of night?¡±

    Naomi looked understandable confused by his request. However, she answere him nonetheless. Even handed him some digmata from her own pockets to pay for the items. ¡°If it¡¯ll help you put an end to this case, I¡¯ll gladly help you out.¡±

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 10

    Once again, Holden and the others found themselves trekking through the marshlands south of Chrimoria on their way to the Hollows, except this time they were all carrying paper bags full of groceries in hand. They were filled with raw meats, vegetables, and fruits of all kinds from a store that was open all night which Naomi had recommended to them.

    It was a couple hours from sunrise when they returned to Shayfield. The place seemed dead. There were no rowdy bandits in the tavern like last time, nor had any of Shayfield¡¯s other dubious residents returned. This made it easy for them to pass through town.

    Holden had only been to Leanna¡¯s place once before, but it had left quite the impression on him. She lived in an old clinic, and apparently was the closest thing to a doctor in all of Shayfield. Not that anyone would go to her unless they had no other choice.

    The clinic itself was a building made of stone like all the others in town. It had two floors above ground. Plus, a large basement below where Leanna conducted her experiments. Holden had seen it before. The basement had plenty of medical equipment, cadavers, and a lot of weird ingredients which Holden assumed was for potions.

    Holden informed the others of this so they wouldn¡¯t be taken off guard. However, Sable¡¯s curiosity left him with several questions. ¡°What do you mean by weird ingredients?¡±

    Holden cringed at the question. ¡°Toad eyes, snake poison sacks, bird bladders. That kind of weird.¡±

    Sable gagged. ¡°I regret asking.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re about to regret coming.¡± Holden knocked on the door of the clinic. Leanna opened the door slightly and poked her head out, looking at Holden and the others with her usual deadpan expression. She didn¡¯t say anything, so Holden started the conversation. ¡°Leanna, I brought everything you asked for.¡±

    Leanna saw the bags of groceries, and gestured for everyone to come inside. The front room of the clinic was mostly empty. The only thing of note was the wooden counter, which served as the reception area for the clinic.

    ¡°Just leave them on the counter,¡± Leanna said. ¡°I¡¯m assuming there¡¯s something else you want.¡±

    ¡°What gave you that idea?¡± Holden asked.

    Leanna glanced over all of the others who came with Holden. ¡°You brought your friends with you. And you¡¯re back before sunrise. That means you came back as quickly as possible because you need something.¡±

    ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± Holden then dug the delirium out of his pocket. ¡°Have you ever seen these before?¡±

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    ¡°Delirium,¡± Leanna said, giving the stones a quick glance. ¡°I¡¯ve experimented with them as an ingredient in potions before. Didn¡¯t really work out.¡±

    ¡°Dare I ask what you were trying to use them for. Where¡¯d you find them?¡±

    Leanna gestured for everyone to follow her outside. She then pointed off to the west. ¡°There¡¯s a cave filled with delirium about a mile outside of town. A lot of people avoid it, because of the stone¡¯s side effects.¡±

    ¡°Side effects?¡±

    ¡°Too much exposure can cause one to go insane. Some people started hearing voices. Others saw things that weren¡¯t there. The residents of the Hollows say the place is cursed.¡±

    ¡°And you risked going there?¡±

    ¡°There are ways to defend against its effects. I kept up a constant healing spell. The thin layer of magic reduced the effects. I wasn¡¯t in there for very long, though.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Sable said, clicking his tongue. ¡°We¡¯re dealing with a place that literally induces madness. Anyone know how we¡¯re supposed to counteract that?¡± The cait-sith then looked at Atticus. ¡°One of us is already on the verge of a psychotic break.¡±

    Atticus grumbled. ¡°He isn¡¯t wrong.¡±

    Everyone felt a sudden chill as if a cold breeze just blew by them. Leanna then nodded her head. ¡°Morlax says he¡¯ll accompany you. He¡¯s already used up much of his energy dealing with those bandits and Leudox thugs. But he should have enough to keep you safe from the delirium¡¯s effects.¡±

    ¡°Morlax,¡± Holden said with a curious gaze. ¡°You mean that wraith of yours? He wants to help?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He says he likes you guys. Or at least he finds you all entertaining.¡±

    Sable hunched his back out of fear. ¡°So, the ghost likes us.¡±

    ¡°Wraiths aren¡¯t ghost,¡± Leanna said. ¡°They¡¯re the accumulation of dense amounts of magic created when several mages die in a single place. All the magic contained within their bodies converges creating a spiritual like being. They have nothing to do with the dead.¡±

    ¡°Then why are they considered the undead?¡±

    ¡°They often absorb the memories and personalities from the mages who¡¯s magic created them. It¡¯s a terrible misconception. But I guess I can see how the ignorant might mistake them or the soul of the lost.

    ¡°Morlax is an accumulation of several mages who died in the conflict to control the Hollows. Maybe that has something to do with why he wants to help you, too. The three powers vying for control of this place likely want access to the delirium mine.¡±

    Holden smirked proudly at Leanna¡¯s words. It validated his theory that someone from either the Arclight Kingdom, or Lamyros was the one collaborating with the Leudox to kidnap Elliandra. Though that smirk became a frown once he thought about his friends. ¡°I say we¡¯ve stood around talking long enough. We¡¯ll gladly accept Morlax¡¯s help. Now lets get going to that mine already.¡±

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 11

    Holden ad the others made their way west. It took some time, and stumbling around in the dark before they finally came across the cave Leanna was talking about. By the time they found it, the sun was already starting to rise from the east.

    ¡°Well, here we are,¡± Holden said, looking at the cave entrance with both determination and anxiety. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what they would come across once they stepped inside. There were still so many unknowns. Who was really behind all this? What was their motive? Were they really even in the cave? Was Elliandra even still alive? All of these questions whirled around in Holden¡¯s mind, causing him to grit his teeth and clench the hilt of his dagger in frustration.

    Sable, on the other hand, had been preoccupied with the ominous presence that had been following them. The cait-sith knew it was the wraith Leanna had been calling Morlx. However, Sable couldn¡¯t get comfortable around the invisible entity. He was concerned about Elliandra, too, but worries about what would happen to them once they all began their trek into the mine weighed heavily on the cait-sith¡¯s heart. He didn¡¯t trust this Morlax creature, nor was he sure their group had the strength to deal with this unknown enemy. However, Sable kept the worries to himself as the entire group stepped into the cave.

    Things seemed normal at first. The cave was narrow and dark. The group had glowing stones to provide them with light, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, once they emerged from the narrow passageway into a small cavern filled with glowing purple stones on the walls, everything changed.

    The entire group was overcome with nausea and dizziness. However, it quickly disappeared as they all felt a warm sensation covering their entire body.

    Holden and the others started patting himself all over, wondering where this warm sensation was coming from. Only Atticus had a clue as to what the sensation was.

    ¡°We¡¯re being protected by magic,¡± Atticus said. ¡°It¡¯s a rank two protection spell that provides a thin layer of magic to protect multiple people. It¡¯s often cast on soldiers when going into battle.¡±

    ¡°I guess Morlax really did help us,¡± Holden said, still feeling a little woozy. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    Holden took the lead with daggers in hand, and Sable still on his shoulders. The two of them had the sharpest senses, making them the perfect duo for scouting at the front of the group. The cave passages twisted and turned, leading the group through several more caverns, until they found themselves within a massive cavern filled with enormous outcroppings of delirium. Even with the magic protection from Morlax, the delirium¡¯s effects slowly started to break through.

    Holden stumbled forward, barely catching himself in time to stay standing. ¡°what is this? I thought the magic would protect us.¡±

    Sable dug his claws into Holden¡¯s coat, trying to keep himself from falling off. ¡°The amount of delirium is much denser here. A rank two protection spell probably isn¡¯t enough to ward off the side effects.

    Holden and Sable began looking around for a place they could flee to. That was when they noticed a building on the far side of the cavern. Seeing as there was nowhere else to go except back the way they came, Holden decided they would press forward, hoping that the walls of the building would block off the effects of the delirium. ¡°Everyone, head toward that building.¡±

    Holden and the others sprinted as fast as they could. The nausea and dizziness was started to overwhelm them. However, the managed to make it to the building. There was a large metal door that Holden had to pick the lock to before everyone rushed inside.

    The moment the door closed behind them, a wave of relief washed over the entire group. The effects of the delirium dissipated, allowing the whole group to regain their faculties.

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    Sable groaned as he felt the dizziness, along with the warm sensation of Morlax¡¯s magic, disappear. ¡°That sucked. I¡¯m not looking forward to going back through that place when we leave.¡±

    Holden nodded in agreement also feeling Morlax¡¯s protection disappear. ¡°Yeah. Did anyone else notice the spell protecting us is gone?¡±

    The others nodded their heads, causing Holden to sigh. ¡°Not sure whether Morlax is just out of magic. Or he couldn¡¯t follow us in ere for some reason. Either way, we should look around. Where exactly are we?¡±

    The entire building looked completely empty. It had a tall ceiling, and a cold concrete floor. Several support beams held up the roof. There was also a long hallway on the far side of the building, but nothing else seemed to be present.

    There was nowhere else to go, so they all headed toward the hallway, when the suddenly heard a deep voice echoing in all of their heads.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Sable stood up, while his claws dug into Holden¡¯s shoulder, causing the man to wince. ¡°Sable, stop. That hurts.¡±

    ¡°What was that? Sable asked, still gripping Holden with his claws. ¡°Was that a ghost? Is this place haunted by the mad souls of deceased miners?¡±

    ¡°Cat, use your head. It¡¯s probably just someone projecting their thoughts into all of our heads using magic.¡±

    Atticus drew his sword as his eyes darted around, looking for enemies. ¡°It¡¯s definitely unnerving. I wonder if this is the same mage who¡¯s been using teleportation magic to kidnap the missing officials.¡±

    ¡°Missing officials,¡± The voice said with a hint of wonder in their voice. ¡°Oh. Yes. The missing officials. The Leudox. You¡¯re here for the prosecutor.¡±

    Holden gnashed his teeth. Brimming with anger, he shouted back at the mysterious voice. ¡°Where is she? I swear, if you hurt her, I¡¯ll-.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother with threats. Your insignificance is apparent. A man with no magic has no chance in a fight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like a magic supremist. Who are you with? The Followers of Balmusk? Or are you just some mage working for Lamyros, or the Arclight Kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Wrong on all accounts, detective. We are associated with none other than ourselves. We are the voice of the ones who have been abused by society. Use as tools to further its prosperity. The luxuries, and wealth you and the rest of Chrimoria enjoy is built on the backs of our kind¡¯s suffering. Though we don¡¯t see you and your companions as enemies, we also don¡¯t see you as allies.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re saying you want justice for all of the corruption in Chrimoria. Then why wouldn¡¯t we be allies? Why kidnap Elliandra? She¡¯s your best shot at punishing the wrongdoers.¡±

    The deep voice howled with anger. ¡°Is she, though? Do you know how deep the corruption within Chrimoria has spread? It as taken root in all aspects of the city. This city. It¡¯s economy. The very well-being of its citizens is only guaranteed by the crimes of the upper echelons. Chrimoria is flooded with blood money.

    ¡°Even you, detective, have drank from Chrimoria¡¯s coffers. Yet I can¡¯t blame you for your ignorance any more than the prosecutor. You are both people trying to do right in an unjust world. I can give you that much. But you and I still cannot be allies, for you would never support my goal.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Holden replied, raising an eyebrow. ¡°And what goal is that?¡±

    A cloaked figure then appeared out of the hallway. His entire boy was shrouded in shadows. It was impossible to identify him, but Sable could sense magic coming from them.

    ¡°Holden, that¡¯s the mage.¡±

    The cloaked figure all of a sudden changed their appearance. Holden and the other¡¯s jaws just about fell to the floor when they saw what was underneath, and Holden couldn¡¯t stop himself from glancing over at Sable.

    Sable eyes also went wide, because he had seen the one beneath the cloak. She had been on his mind every day and night ever since he had been freed from the fairy traffickers¡¯ clutches. ¡°The Red Pixie.¡±

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 12

    Sable shouted with joy. ¡°I was right! It was the red pixie. She kidnapped all of the government officials. I was right all along! Missing people! The bad weather! All the Leudox drug labs being destroyed! All of it was the red pixie.¡±

    The red pixie furrowed her brows as Sable continued ranting. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Cat? You¡¯re acting like a madman. Have you been obsessed with me ever since we parted at the tavern?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a cait-sith,¡± Sable hissed. ¡°We¡¯re both fey. You should know that.¡±

    Mathias scratched his head in confusion at the scene before him, then turned to Atticus for confirmation. ¡°Is this the same red pixie Sable¡¯s been going on about? He blamed her for my sword going missing.¡±

    Atticus nodded his head. ¡°I believe so. The poor cat blames this red pixie for the nox-dragon, too. I guess she was using illusion magic to alter her voice an appearance.¡±

    Holden on the other hand, knew he would never hear the end of this. With that in mind, he wanted to wrap this up as soon as possible. ¡°Okay, red pixie,¡± Holden said, cringing. ¡°Let Elliandra go, and come with us.¡±

    The red pixie crossed her arms as she floated in the air. Several laughing fairies then appeared all around them. They all had twisted expressions as if they were sadistic predators hunting their prey. They also each wore a ring of delirium on their fingers. The fairies known as Maple and Delilah were among them.

    Sable looked around at the fairies with mixed emotions. He was partially elated to see all of his fellow former captives. However, there was also a sense of confusion washing over him. Fairies were playful, and benevolent. The malicious scowls he saw on all of their faces seemed out of place. There was one among them whose facial expression seemed distressed more than anything. It was Maple, one of the fairies Holden and Sable came across during their investigation into the stolen manuscript.

    Sable called out her name. ¡°Maple, what¡¯s going on? What happened to all of them?¡±

    Maple just gnashed her teeth, and shot a beam of light from her fingertips at Sable. Sable quickly teleported out of the way, then the fighting commenced.

    The fairies began casting a variety of spells. As a species, fairies were competent mage. However, they were limited to only one element of magic. That element could be water, earth, fire, air, dark, or light. Dark and light were the rarest type of magic to find among the fairies, so the spells being fired at Sable and the others were a mix of the former four, aside from Maple, who was a light fairy.

    Sable teleported once again, while the other dodged out of the way. Holden than unleashed a flurry of dagger swipes. Atticus and Mathias swung their sword, while Durik brough his ax down on one of the fairies, only for it to dodge.

    Sable stood there trembling, unable to comprehend exactly what had happened to these fairies who he had befriended in captivity. Why were they suddenly like this? Had the delirium caused them all to go mad? Then why did Maple look so distressed? He then recalled seeing the black collars around Maple and Delilah¡¯s neck during his and Holden¡¯s previous encounter with them.

    Sable shifted his gaze toward the red pixie, who was hovering above the battlefield with a smug grin on her face. The cait-sith teleported onto Holden¡¯s back once more, then jumped in the air toward the red pixie. He then teleported mid-air, snatching the red pixie out of the air, and pinning her to the ground.

    The red pixie growled. ¡®Stupid cat. Get off of me.¡±

    Sable sensed a small fluctuation of magic. The red pixie then disappeared from beneath his paw, appearing in another spot a few feet away. Sable then repeated the same maneuver from earlier, teleporting off onto Holden¡¯s back, jumping into the air, teleporting to the red pixie, then bringing her to the ground with him as he fell.

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    The red pixie gnashed her teeth again. ¡°Hey, stupid cat. Stop that.¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you attacking, red pixie? Certain one capable of using a rank four or five teleportation spell should be able to deal with a lowly cat such as myself.¡± The red pixie growled, but didn¡¯t teleport away. Sable then smirked. ¡°I get it now. The fairies are being controlled by you. Those black collars around their necks are some sort of spell. No. A curse that bends them to your will. Though Maple is a light fairy with a strong resistance to curses, hence why she hasn¡¯t become as twisted as the others, even though she still is under your influence.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your point, Cat?¡±

    ¡°My point is, once I swat you, they¡¯ll have control once again.¡±

    The red pixie teleported away once again. At that moment, a black collar revealed itself around Maple¡¯s neck. It then shattered into pieces, liberating her from the red pixies control. She then shouted to Sable, ¡°Hey, Cat. Keep making her use magic. She¡¯ll be forced to release more and more fairies from her control so she can continue using magic.¡±

    Sable grinned, then continued slapping the red pixie out of the air with his claws. ¡°Why not just teleport away with a big spell? Probably can¡¯t right now. In fact, you recently used a big spell to teleport Halrick away to have him killed somewhere. How many big spells did that require? Two, three, four? You must be close to drained. No big teleportation for you.¡±

    The red pixie found herself being pinned to the ground over and over by Sable. As her magic continued to run out, she was forced to release another fairy from the curse being used to control them. Curses would take up a set amount of the caster¡¯s magic reserves that wouldn¡¯t recover until the curse was broken. Each time the red pixie released one of the fairies, she would regain a small portion of her magic reserves. These fairies would then look around in confusion, their memories hazing from their time being controlled. Eventually, all of the fairies were freed from her control.

    The red pixie tried teleporting away once again, only to be snatched out of the air by holden. ¡°Not getting away this time.¡±

    The pixie started kicking and screaming, while shouted like a spoiled child. ¡°Let go of me, human. I¡¯m a high pixie. Pixie nobility. Do you know what¡¯ll happen if you manhandle me like this? You¡¯ll make an enemy of all of pixie kind.¡±

    ¡°Nice threat. I doubt a high pixie in good standing with her kind would have to mind control a bunch of fairies to fight for her.¡± Holden used his free hand to dig through his bag, pulling out a large jar, and trapping the red pixie in it. ¡°I had this on hand in case the cat¡¯s paranoia was ever right.¡±

    Sable burst out into laughter. ¡°Good luck getting out of that jar without your magic.¡±

    The fairies looked around in confusion. Maple was the only one who remembered everything because of her resistance to curses. Because of this, she ended up being the ones to explain everything that had happened to them.

    Seeing them all free and safe filled Sable with joy. However, it was at that moment he noticed something. ¡°Hey, Maple, where¡¯s the coin-sith?¡±

    Maple¡¯s eyes popped when she heard the question. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. He¡¯s been tracking down another target for kidnapping. He should be in Chrimoria right now.¡±

    Holden stuffed the jar with the red pixie into his bag, then gestured for everyone to hurry. ¡°Then we need to find Elliandra, and get back to Chrimoria. Quickly.¡±

    ¡°Maple flew and the other fairies began circling around Holden and the others in the air. Maple then nodded her head. ¡°We¡¯ll show you the way. Follow us.¡±

    ***

    The fairies led everyone down the hallway. It led to another large room with corridors going out in each direction. They ended up following the fairies down a few more hallways like the first before arriving at yet another open room where Elliandra was currently lying on the ground. She was still tied up, and blindfolded. She also wasn¡¯t moving, causing Holden to panic while running over to her.

    ¡°Elliandra,¡± holden said, vigorously shaking her. ¡°Elliandra. Wake up. Wake up.¡±

    Elliandra just about jumped out of her skin when Holden started shaking her. ¡°Ah. Holden, stop. I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m okay. Would you get these ropes off of me?¡±

    Holden used his dagger to cut the ropes binding her, then removed her blindfold. The two of them embraced one another tightly, while Elliandra sniffled. Her eyes were watering from the sense of relief and gratitude. ¡°You certainly took your time, Holden.¡±

    Sable then rubbed his cheek against Elliandra. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Elliandra said, patting the cait-sith¡¯s head. ¡°Thanks for coming to save me, Sable.¡±

    Holden helped Elliandra to her feet. Now that she was safe, they could all finally return to Chrimoria.

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Part 13

    Everyone made their way out of the concrete labyrinth that had been Elliandra¡¯s prison for the past day. They had many questions about what this place was, and about the red pixie¡¯s motives. However, those question would have to wait until they returned to the city, and tracked down the coin-sith. They weren¡¯t in a huge rush, since it was no longer under the red pixie¡¯s control, yet there was still a chance something bad might happen.

    They headed straight for the Mages Union, and were allowed into Naomi¡¯s office. Se seemed to be taken aback by all of the fairies who had arrived with Holden, but took it in stride, choosing to focus on the urgent looks on everyone¡¯s faces.

    ¡°You all seem tense,¡± Naomi pointed out. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Holden pulled the jar with the red pixie out for Naomi to see. ¡°For starters, this is the one responsible for kidnapping Elliandra and all of the other officials. Also, there is a coin-sith we¡¯re looking for who was involved. Though he was under the influence of a curse.¡±

    ¡°A curse? Cast by this pixie I¡¯m assuming?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a high pixie. Used some kind of curse to control all of these fairies, and said coin-sith, too.¡±

    Naomi glowered the red pixie while tapping on the jar. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one causing al of this trouble. I assume you¡¯re also the one responsible for killing the tavern owner that our poor Durik was initially held responsible for.¡±

    The red pixie glowered back at her. ¡°You know an awful lot, Lady. Who even are you?¡±

    ¡°The director of the Mages Union. And Chrimoria¡¯s strongest divination mage. Your crimes cost me a small fortunate in materials. So, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you put away for years. Depending on what we dig up, you may even find yourself facing the death penalty. That is if you truly are the one responsible for killing Sia Reinouse, and now Halrick Ironborn.¡±

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    ¡°He was fund dead?¡± Holden asked.

    Naomi somberly shook her head. ¡°Yes. Just last night. Alwin was on the case. He should hopefully be-.¡±

    As if on cue, Alwin came sauntering into the room. To everyone¡¯s surprise, he wasn¡¯t alone either. Sable, Atticus, Naomi, and the fairies all looked absolutely awestruck, while Holden, Mathias, and Durik just scratched their heads in confusion.

    ¡°Hey, Alwin,¡± Holden said. ¡°What¡¯s with the big black dog following you?¡±

    Alwin tilted his head in confusion, then recalled Holden couldn¡¯t use magic. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. This is a coin-sith. Just like the cait-sith, they just look like regular dogs to anyone who can¡¯t use magic.¡±

    Holden blinked, and then he suddenly noticed a purple gem embedded in the coin-sith¡¯s head. ¡°Oh, geez. You really are like Sable?¡±

    The coin-sith wagged its tail and started panting. ¡°Sable,, is that the cat. Hi, cat.¡±

    Sable closed his eyes, and playfully stuck out his tongue. ¡°Hello, dog. What happened? How¡¯d you end up with this elf?¡±

    ¡°He found me after I suddenly felt the red pixie¡¯s hold over me break. I was in the middle of following a police captain at the time. Alwin happened to be talking to him when I regained control.¡±

    ¡°Wait. We¡¯re you following Captain Wynhart. The captain in charge of precinct seven?¡±

    Alwin scowled. ¡°He was. According to this coin-sith, the captain was involved in fairy trafficking. Though I don¡¯t know whether or not his claims are legitimate.¡±

    ¡°This is a little too convenient,¡± Holden said in disbelief of their sudden fortunate.

    Alwin crossed his arms. He knew exactly what Holden was thinking. ¡°Sometimes lucky coincidences just happen. Just enjoy the easy victory, and don¡¯t think too much about it.¡±

    Naomi sighed at Alwin¡¯s statement. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be investigating the police captain. Holden, Sable. And the rest of you who helped them out. Thank you. Durik, Alwin, and I will take care of everything else from here.¡±

    With that, Holden, Sable, Mathias, Atticus, and Elliandra all left Naomi¡¯s office. The red pixie was left with her. The fairies and coin-sith stayed as well to provide Naomi and Alwin with as much information about the red pixie and her activities as possible.

 The Case with the Disappearing Prosecutor Epilogue

    After leaving the Mages Union, Holden, Sable, Elliandra, Mathias, and Atticus all made their way to the Red Sun Tavern. Holden ordered a round of drinks for each of them, aside from Sable who got a bowl of milk. The all then sat back, feeling exhausted from the grueling case.

    Mathias groaned after taking his first sip. ¡°This sucks. I said I was going to pay you guys back, but I hardly did anything except swing my sword around at a bunch of fairies.¡± He then took a big gulp of his drink before talking again. ¡°I guess I still owe you one.¡±

    ¡°You could always just pay us,¡± Sable pointed out.

    Mathias laughed awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m kind of short on digmata right now. But I promise I¡¯ll pay you back soon.¡±

    ¡°I for one, would rather pay you two,¡± Elliandra said. ¡°Who knows what kind of favors I¡¯ll be asked now that the two of you have saved me.¡±

    ¡°You say that like it¡¯s a bad thing,¡± Holden said.

    ¡°It kind of is. If it were the police, I wouldn¡¯t sweat it. But your assistance always comes with strings attached.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a PI that gets into a lot of trouble. People owing me favors is the only thing that keeps it from coming back to bite me.¡±

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    ¡°So, this doe me you¡¯re going to ask me for some sketchy favors. I swear, I¡¯m supposed to be a prosecutor who punishes criminals. I can¡¯t be covering you and Sable if you do anything illegal.¡±

    Holden made a dismissive gesture. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I never do anything illegal. I¡¯m an upstanding citizen of this great city.¡±

    Elliandra rolled her eyes. ¡°An upstanding citizen. Don¡¯t make me laugh.¡±

    ¡°This coming from the most unprofessional prosecutor I¡¯ve ever met.¡± Elliandra looked as if she had no idea what he was talking about, so Holden felt compelled to remind her. ¡°Do you remember your behavior at the underground bar when I was working the case where we met Sable. You were messing with those guys at the table across from you. Acting all refined and lady-like. We both know you¡¯re a tomboy without a care in the world.¡±

    ¡°You have no clue how to talk to a lady.¡±

    Holden and Elliandra bickered back and forth. The rest of the group just laughed. They all spent thew rest of the morning drinking, and celebrating the end of the case.

    ***

    Meanwhile, a group of officers arrived in Naomi¡¯s office to help Alwin take the red pixie, the fairies, and the coin-sith away. The red pixie was the main culprit, but the fairies and coin-sith were still witnesses.

    Once they were all gone, Naomi sat back in her seat, and stretched her arms. ¡°Holden and Sable. So, that red pixie of yours just said she used the Leudox to get revenge on the traffickers who held her hostage.¡± Naomi then sighed, and turned to overlook the cityscape from her window. ¡°This city really is ripe with corruption. But you two will still be able to put an end to it. Right?¡± Naomi then shut her eyes as a tear fell down her cheek. She then continued staring at the cityscape as feelings of nostalgia caused her to crack a smile.