Chapter 27 - Round Two

Higgs

Of all the senses to return, the first was smell.
An accursed, wet, dirty, chemically laden stink woke me. The sort of stench that ordered every sense to flee. That wherever you were, your body simply wasn't built to endure forever, and your flesh was letting you know directly. Run. Panic. Flee.

Whatever you do: Don't be here.

Anyone else would pay attention to that. But not a soldier, not a veteran. You panic, it's not just your life you've sold for cheap. And if you're unlucky enough, you might be the only one to live through your mistake. To put my choice to stone however - there simply was nowhere to run to when my sight came to me second.

The room was a skeleton. Stripped of anything non-essential. A hollow feeling that burrowed deep on your thoughts was the only thing left. A wooden table carrying my weight, instruments to the side, a locked iron door built for a prison. A few beams of light filtered through the iron bars, marking a pattern in shadows. The instruments around me were bolted to the ground. Breakable, sure. Usable? Unlikely. The door was sealed shut and built to withstand all the might humanity could throw at it. I'd guess even inhumanity couldn't force that slab of riveted metal.
These four walls were forged to keep anything inside, now I would be its next opponent.

Escape? A voice pressed in my mind.
Impossible, for now.

The present is a dead end.
The future will show me options. I need only get its attention.

Tentatively, my hand stretched out. Muscles worked, the arm rose from the table like a ghost, unchained.
It felt like only yesterday, but I know it'd been years since I'd last been the owner.

I ordered it into a fist, then launched at the nearest instrument, knocking it down. Pain shot through, a quick a brutal result of my choice. Life was always a simple thing. A series of choices really. If you were stupid, you paid for your stupidity. I could only hope my choice didn't fall in the wrong category.

He would be here soon now.

Riven

"And your contact specifically mentioned going into this alleyway?" I said, shooting a critical glance at the dark brooding around us. Lux, however, walked as if the darkness knew her. And considering her past, I was sure she was well acquainted with it.
"You'll understand when you meet her. Crowded places isn't something she appreciates, not one bit. Don't worry however! I'll protect you! Fear not my feeble Noxian damsel! The night is full of terrors, and I'm the most terrifying of them all! Hahah-ha!" She beamed with a light giggle, and locked elbows with me. "Uh huh." I answered unconvinced, but followed her lead nonetheless. We'd walk in between light and dark, the alleyway lit every now and then by the cities hextech lamps.

Until I heard a small rustle at the other end. The walls had funneled us both against the streetlight, whatever was directly in front could clearly see us but we were blinded to it.
For some reason, the presence forfeited that advantage. A short, hunched figure trotted into the dim light calmly. A one handed crossbow pointed straight at my head. From the way the stranger held the weapon, I doubt that arrow would have missed if fired. Had the newcomer wanted to kill me, that bolt would have been launched minutes ago. I loosened my shoulders, but remained on guard.

"Who is she?" I asked, uneasily at the new arrival.
"My secret weapon." Lux proudly boasted, breaking our arm lock, and walking over to the figure fearlessly. On the other side, the target showed no sign of noticing Lux. The crossbow remained aimed at my head, and it's owner was coiled to attack at any move from me.
Lux reached the woman's side, patting the back of the blue cloak. "It's ok! She's not going to hurt either of us. You can relax!"
"Lady Crownguard, she's a Noxi -" The figure quietly snarled, ready to pounce Lux to the floor to defend her from me, it seems.
"It's quite all right! I know exactly who she is. And who you are too for that matter, my precious friend! Don't get cheeky with me now." Lux quickly silenced the tracker with more authority then I'd seen her use. Her ditz like voice gone mid-sentence, and replaced with something chilling.
I could fight, but I hoped not to. Maybe one day in the past, I would have leaped without a second thought. Those days were behind me.

I studied the figure she ordered. Leather armor, blue cloak, heavily prepared the way a special operative behind enemy lines most likely. Without a doubt, a Demacian ranger. They were rumored to be cunning opponents. Although I had only fought against Ionians, I was well aware of the military hierarchy of Demacia. It stands to reason, years latter, few things change.

The ranger sighed, throwing me a crippling look, and holstering her crossbow with well-practiced ease. I felt the pressure on my shoulder vanish, likely now settling on the ranger's shoulders instead. She was the one with the disadvantage now, that burden was her's.
"Fine. I trust you know what you're doing, you are one of Demacia's champions." She whistled, waiting. Her gaze shifted around almost hawk-like. Finding a focus in half seconds, and remaining fixed on target.

On my end, I had no qualm standing at ease. I didn't feel danger from her - we were too close to one another and she knew it. A ranger will never overcome a Noxian melee fighter at this distance, not with their weapon holstered. However, I wasn't in the habit of being ignorant.
"Who is she?" I asked again, this time making it clear I wasn't looking for a vague answer.
Lux tutted. "You can't just enjoy a mystery can you Riven?"

A lazy stare at Lux gave her my answer. She puffed her cheeks, and surrendered.
"She's one of Demacia's rangers, though you probably guessed that already. She's the best of the best. Oh don't look so modest you! Prince Jarvan himself brought you out of the woodwork for this."
The ranger glanced at Lux and began to demand answers, "First - I want to know what you're up to with a Noxian. And why Prince Jarvan ordered me to help you."
The blond smartly grinned. "I notice there's more bite behind Jarvan's first pick for the mission, you'll fit right in with us!"

The conversation was quickly going into Demacian politics. With names such as his haphazardly thrown around - I had no interest in such a topic.
"Lux," I said, reeling her back on track. She didn't keep me waiting, tutted, and turned to speak to the ranger again.
"We've lost a friend. He was abducted by Singed early in the morning, the Zaun champion..."
The ranger nodded, attention absorbed. This was a mission briefing and she was a soldier. I would at least respect that.

Lux detailed every last item of evidence we had, location, records, relevant details. The ranger asked few questions. It was implied she'd find out the rest by herself.
"... So it's important to remain unseen. As soon as Singed knows we are on his trail, he might execute the summoner. He likely suspects he has at the very least a week or two before we find him."
"I'll track your missing summoner, we've got this covered."

"Good luck." I murmured. It was sentimental, and felt wrong to say such a thing to a Demacian soldier. Yet she had a skill set I lacked, and that would be the only way to save Higgs. The thought about what he might be facing at this moment made my stomach turn. I did wish her luck. There was nothing else I could do myself.

The ranger gave me a sideways glance.
"I don't need luck Noxian. There's always a trail, and I've got a bird's eye view to find it."
"Then you should not fail." I answered sternly.

The ranger took another glance, nodded, and left. Quick, quiet, and in moments, gone. A whistle was her last goodbye before the alleyway shadows stole our sight of her. A convenient furry of wings from a startled bird above covered her footsteps so that I couldn't tell anymore which way she'd gone.

"You could have visited this ranger on your own time - without me. And you don't do things like this without reason. Care to explain?" My next question aimed to the leftover Demacian.
"I needed to show her it was different in the league." Lux answered, skipping along back into the city heart with me in tow.
"Different?"
"Hmm, how to explain... Ah! One moment, you'll be drinking beer with Garen, watching your table yell insults at Katarina's lack of solid aiming while she's throwing daggers at his lunch and hitting his chair instead. The next moment, you're on her team, fighting against your brother and the friends from your table are trying to kill you. We have very complicated relationships with one another Riven. Not quite friendship, not quite rivalry. It can't be explained, it needs to be shown. So I did just that. Did I make sense?"
"I think I know what you mean. We are everything at once, but not at the same time."
Lux giggled, "Vague, sweeping, and explains utterly nothing unique... I like it! Since when have you dabbled in philosophy Miss Overcompensation? Putting down the sword for a pen soon?"

I elbowed her in the side. "That's mean. I'm attempting to follow you into something meaningful, and you say that. No respect for your seniors."
"You're only a few years older than me! Logically, my relevance carries just as much weight as yours."
"Here you are with your large words again. I'm never quite sure what to expect around you, but I certainly don't look forward to the day I fight you in the league. Not sure if you'll blast me, or hug me to death."
"Proof that you haven't been a champion for long enough. I can't wait for that day myself! Think about it! You've been to the table so often, but we've never tried to fight yet. It feels so particular! I think of you almost the same way I think of Higgs, or Kate - a constant. I'll never have to fight either of them."

I brought Lux close, and wrapped my arm over her shoulder. She always was a few inches shorter than me.
Somehow, despite our nationalities, I still felt oddly protective of her and at a loss of what to say. The last week I hadn't thought of being a champion even once. It seemed far away. Slowly, I pieced together a sentence I believed would comfort her.
"For the next months, until I'm allowed in the League again, I am a constant. After that, you're free to think differently. You can only do one thing at a time."
She sighed, "And that's the problem. Now, let's go save Higgs before he does something stupid again. You've probably been worried sick about him the entire day... I'm sure it's because you can't become a champion without him, right? Your career is so much more important than some random friend after all."
"Come to think of it, It would be bothersome to have to find a new summoner. I guess we don't have choice." I smiled at her, but my mind was cold. I wouldn't be at ease until that man was in my sights, alive and well. Malcom 'Higgs' Arrows was the first friend I've made in years. And he wasn't going to join fury company anytime soon. Singed had taken his last from me, the only thing I'd be giving him now is a merciless early grave.

"How fast will your tracker find him?" I asked.
"We're talking a day or three at most."
"... Are you sure she's the fastest?"
"Riven. Your faith in me won't be misplaced! If she keeps up with her record, I predict we'll find her on the fields of justice soon enough, that's how excellent she is at what she does. Stop worrying, you can't do anything else right now."

A sigh creaked through my mouth, and I simply patted the girl's head. Some things were so easy to say, yet had so much distance. "It's difficult to stop worrying completely Lux. That's what it means to be human."

Higgs

Iron creaking. Then the sound of metal slamming on a stone wall. I have a guest.
"Mr. Higgs. I see my faith wasn't misplaced." Curled voice, singsong almost. Playful. Like a cat toying with a mouse, completely confident. Large man, towering even. Wrapped hands. Bald head.

I could tell from the start I'd be no match if it came to a fight. I doubt I could even scratch his skin with the heavy linen wraps around his body. Even his stance reeked of experience.

No mistake, this must be the enemy that's behind the abduction. This must be my opponent.
"Singed."

"Hmmhm. So you are still intact enough to speak. Interesting. Please, don't mind me. I'll be collecting some data. I trust you can behave yourself yes?"
"I don't see any reason not to." I answered calmly.

I wasn't chained up, nor tied. Singed must be supremely confident there was no chance I could escape.
Behind the iron door, shadows of men softly stood by. This man wasn't arrogant. He was simply prepared.

Escape? A voice shot out, panicked.
Not now. Not yet.

"I need food. If you try this experiment again, I'll die."
The man raised an eyebrow.

"And you know this because?" He asked.
"I know myself. I need food." I bluffed.

Singed paused for a moment.
"Sounds to me you know far more about your condition then you let on. Perhaps I can... let's say convince you to explain to me so-"
" - Then you understand that I'm serious with my request if I'm risking torture. You won't get anything out of a dead corpse. Give me food, some time to digest and build up my resilience again. We'll see after."

The wrapped man thought for a moment.
"Fair enough. We have all the time in the world after all. Revald!" He called out, a Summoner walked in shyly.
"See to it he gets food latter."
The man nodded, turned and left.

The Summoners of the league follow his commands, I grimly understood. They would be an obstacle.
This puzzle was getting harder and harder to solve by the minute.

Singed took a few more moments to gather data from his machines. I stayed mute the entire time, refusing to betray my trump card. The more I spoke, the more out of character I would reveal. At first, he was annoyed, but quickly realized there was little point in being impatient. He would have his answers soon enough. Either I talked, or the instruments talked for me. He only had to bid his time. As for me, there would be one shot. One, singular, chance. To fail was to die.

I didn't bother to worry until I needed to.

Quinn

Feet reached the ground with a sturdy slam. The wood groaned with the new weight.
If I had to be sneaky, I would. If I didn't need to, I wouldn't care to. Time didn't care for the living.

I scurried over the wooden panks, quickly counting up the stairs.
Room 7. Ground to go.
Room 12. Further still.
Room 15. Closer now.

I slowed my pace down, arriving at the critical door.
Room 22.

The last known location of Ex-Summoner, Malcom Higgs.
The wooden railing behind me squealed and groaned as something heavy landed on it a moment later. The tell-tell sound of claws burrowing into wood all too clear. I'd been traveling with that troublemaker for too long to mistake his clumsy landings for anything else's.
"Valor!" I whispered, annoyed. "I thought I told you to keep a watch out!"

The bird simply graced me with a benign look.
".. Fine!" I hissed, "Have it your way then. If trouble shows up from out there, it's on you! Got that bird-brain?"
The bird simply shriveled its beak to focus on the door. Waiting.

I set my kit down, and began work on finding traps. According to the Inn, Higgs had booked the room for 4 more nights. Which meant that for the next 4 nights, this door should not be opened haphazardly. Any abductor worth his salt would give himself ways of telling just how close people were behind his trail. Singed was a chemist, which meant he wasn't dumb. I really hate it when they're smart.

The physical test showed nothing, but that didn't surprise me.
The magical one lit up. Now I was surprised. Peculiar for a chemist to use magic.

Not that it stopped me. Plenty of solutions anyhow. An anti-magic charm would simply destroy the seal, he'd know right away. I'd have to be more clever. Perfect time for -
Squaaaaaack...

"Valor! Be patient! I haven't even tested for chemical traps yet. It'll be a while, why don't you just circle around and stick to the plan?"
Squack!

The eagle stubbornly remained on the railing, giving his best impression of an over-sized pidgon. I tutted, and turned my attention back on the seal. The old man Reggie once gave me his freezing charm to halt spells. Something he'd built years ago that had followed him through his misadventures he loved to tell stories on. When I'd set off, a lifetime ago, he'd handed this down to me along with a pat on the head and some choice words.

He'd been smart in his advice, it'd come in handy too many times. But there's only so far the old man's tools would follow where I went. Eventually, I was forced to replace it with a more efficient 'state-of-the-art' charm, crafted by Demacia's finest - after the prince himself had ordered me into a corner.

And he was right. By the crown was I stubborn, it took a prince's direct order to get me thinking straight. I needed the best gear to go forward, to reach my goal. It'd become bigger than just me after all. No more holding nostalgic items, because those were holding me back. I washed the prince's words out of my mind, he'd made his point weeks ago. Time to do my job.

The charm worked perfectly, as expected. Not a single mishap. While I admired the craftsmanship of whichever mage had custom-built this for me, the homely feeling of having to work alongside my old charm felt oddly missing. No tinkering to offset the charm, no backlog to assist it with. It did its job mechanically, without soul or spirit, freezing the ward in place perfectly. Less like a partner, more like an independent contractor whose work was a mystery to me. A trustworthy contractor I suppose, I would get a good five hours to comb the room clean for details before the charm wore off, three hours more than the old charm could do. Luxury at it's finest, after all.

Maybe I'll get over it, and used to it someday soon. With a pat of my hands, I moved on to the next test. Which brought me to a dead end.

For a chemist, the door was lacking in any chemical traps. Either he was beyond my abilities to detect, or he hadn't bothered to double-tap the door. All the swabs returned clear of colors. Nothing but the dust on the door. If he was indeed beyond my abilities, then there was nothing I could do. With the final tests done, the door creaked opened and I cautiously creeped into the room.

Dim lighting, no windows. A hextech lamp of cheap quality to the side, signs of a long history. One desk, one bed, a chair. Higgs must have either cared less about creature comforts, or didn't have many gold coins in his purse. That latter more likely.

The bed sheets were sprawled on the ground, likely thrown in an attempt to blind. Broken footstool, from the look of it, someone's foot had cleaved through the pegs with one strike. Had to be heavy, and either confused or too focused to notice the rogue stool. The bed sheets on the ground lead me to believe they'd done their job, and it was the latter that had broken through the footpegs. Hard to miss a blanket throw in such a small room anyhow. Even a Summoner couldn't muck that up.

The wall to the side had cracked, the wood was crunched, splinters and dust littered the ground nearby. Someone had been slammed into it, or someone heavy had missed a tackle. Outside, the floor had been too trodden from the last few days of traffic to point weather someone had left calmly, or gave chase.

So, Higgs threw the bedsheet on Singed, and snuck past him. Singed knocked the stool down, and tackled blindly to his left, breaking the stool's leg in the process. He either hit the Summoner dead on, or missed and crumpled the wood.

The real problem: Nothing in this room told me who had won, only that it had once held a struggle. Higgs may have even managed to escape narrowly dodging Singed's tackle, and simply staying undercover until the storm passed. Possibly wounded. There wasn't any blood, but there had been blunt forces in this rooms past.

That may explain the magic seal. A chemist certainly wouldn't know much about trigger magic beyond what he'd need for his experiments. The ward at the door was too complicated to have been a product of pass time knowledge. Not to mention if Higgs had escaped, Singed would be hot in pursuit - no time to set any traps, hence the lack of a chemical ward.
And the chemist had entered with an anti-magic charm. This ward had to have been placed after the abduction took place. I walked over to the frozen runes, and kneeled down to observe.

Was it Singed covering his tracks? Or the Summoner returning for his own agenda? Everything pointed to the Summoner, the runes were complicated enough I could only understand half of them. That level of detail comes only from the best mages of the world - Summoners from the league.

Two possibilities. Either the ex-Summoner successfully escaped, or he had been taken and the ward was someone else's doing - likely on the chemist's budget.
Both ways required time to prove.

Time I lacked. A priority had to be set.
If Higgs had escaped, then finding him a few days late wouldn't matter.
If he had been taken, then finding him a few days late would.

Following that, my choice was clearer. If I'm proved wrong, then I'll begin to look for the signs of a fugitive over the tracks of a kidnapper. Standing up, I shot a glance through the open door. Valor had taken off without me noticing. Despite his size, he could be quiet when he wanted too. Off circling around, making sure I was safe to study in peace.

The time for that had passed now.
With my plan in mind, I stormed out of the room, shutting the door behind me.

Higgs

The door yawned open in front of me. This time, it didn't part ways for an impossible challenge.

A Summoner walked in shakily, holding a platter of food. Behind him, two Zaun mercenaries walked in step, making the small room crowded.

I'd already tested magic, and failed to conjure up even a spark. The null magic fields in this room were potent, and also universal. The hooded man in front of me was now no greater then a sack of meat and inexperience. Hardly a challenge.

The mercenaries were a different story, and different opening.

Their armor was full of holes, flaws and weaknesses. New as well. Hardly used. No scratches from war, just careless handling. Zaun was always leagues behind Noxians. They relied too much on their chemical warfare over traditional setups. Neglect. The armor they wore was well crafted, but a pale imitation. A desperate attempt to match against an armor that had matured over decades of combat. Their soldiers followed suit.

A fake will always be inferior to the original. The Zaun armor could try it's best to pretend it was something else. That wouldn't save its master.

They carried too many weapons, aiming for intimidation over practicality. Hands hovered over their longswords, eyes bloodshot - certainly on some sort of chemical high to pass the time. Two swords each, daggers, belts, pockets, bombs. Armed to the teeth, and ready for any situation.
A Noxian wouldn't be ready for any situation. Just ready for one, and only one. No wasted energy.
And a Noxian would know without a doubt: A longsword was the second most useless weapon in a tiny room such as this.
The first most useless weapon in such a room, was an empty hand hovering over the hilt of that longsword. Mistake.

Incompetence was all I'd need. Two overly armored and overly encumbered pseudo-soldiers, and one meat shield. It wouldn't be easy. It'd have to be fast, and precise. But it could be done. I counted the seconds they gave me in my mind, the short window of time where I could - would - win.

My face remained still, glancing at which grunt to start with. They eyed me nervously, as if sensing death tickling their cheeks with bony hands every time my gaze met their frame. They felt the wrongness in the air, the promise of blood and pain in the coming moments. But they simply could not comprehend how to better prepare for it, and deep down they knew it.
The one on the left was inviting. His dagger hadn't been properly secured. My prying point.

The Summoner extended the tray, a distraction waiting to happen on a silver plate.
Here.
Now.

Escape? The voice edged on, eager.
Agreed. Escape.

Quinn

Rope zipped through the buckle, dragging up its unconscious prey. Well-tied, like a spider's cocoon in sheets and more rope, the man dangled upside down, rapidly making his way up to the rafters. Even if he could struggle, it'd be futile. Once he had been holstered just right, I tied the rope and slid down to prepare for the second part: Waking up sleeping beauty.

While dragging out the water pail, a soft clicking chuckle kept me company. The blue eagle to my side could not smile with a beak. That didn't stop him from trying, he could speak volumes if you knew how to listen. From the corner of my eye, it felt as if he had the largest grin of them all.
"Again? Thought I told you to keep an eye out." I called out wearily. Valor had been particularly stubborn in this mission.
The blue bird wiped both sides of his beak swiftly on the wooden railing, once, twice, clean. His feathers then ballooned out, until he looked fatter then would be considered healthy. A rippling shudder followed until the foliage settled in place. Talons licked the wood, and settled in a comfortable vice grip. Nodding, the bird returned his attention, well at home and ready to watch.

"All right, I get it. Like what you see Val?" I ruffed out, getting the water set for its job. The over-sized bird just whistled an answer. Better not keep him waiting. I tossed the water in the pail directly on the guard's face, startling the man from his unscheduled sleep.

"WHO- WHA- ARRG!" Were the first words he had to say, alongside some coughing. I didn't wait until he was comfortable. My hand reached out and seized his hair, bringing him closer to me like a cat pulling a pendulum. "I'm going to ask you a few questions. You'll answer them if you're smart. If you're dumb, you won't be the first in history to die from that." I snarled with just the right tone and pitch.

For hired muscle, the man quickly understood just what was going on. His eyes nodded his comprehension. I dove straight into it. "First - why are there so many guards around the chemist's mansion?"

When I first arrived, there were more hired mercenaries patrolling the streets then I'd have ever given the Zaun government credit for. I thought for a moment Higgs could be a more important character then I expected - or that singed held hostage someone of great political note to have this much force protecting the mansion. But that theory was shot down hours into the town. Their patrol pattern was off. They weren't guarding the mansion. They were sweeping the streets.

"Fine by me miss - I'll tell ya' since it ain't special 'nyhow. We just got hired to look for someone, got his picture in my pocket down 'ere. See, supposed to be some real sneaky guy, escaping from 'is mansion and all."
"Uh huh." Thought as much.
"But see here, we can't find the bugger, he's a fuckin' weasel tha' one! Dug himself some hole somewhere, or he ran faster than a nucklebreaker runnin' from the millita. Ain't noone finding him yet."
"Really? Huh I didn't figure that out myself. I guess that why you're still out looking for him. How about this: Tell me something I don't know next, or else." I deadpanned.
"... Why you want 'im lass? Don't tell me he's - No - wait I see!" He paused for a moment, then spat out, "I ain't splitting the gold with anyone if I catches 'im, so fuck off mercenary! Ya ain't getting anything I found ya' bitch!"
He was certainly cheeky. I pulled his upside down face closer to mine.
"See this rope? If I cut here, you fall down. Let me give you a hint: It's a long way down, you'll need a pair of wings to land right. Got me?"
"Yes mam'm." The guard squeaked.
"Good. Tell me more about who you're looking for."
"Uhh, he's an average looking bloke, supposed to be an ex-Summoner so knows magic. Fat good that'll do 'im here though with Singed looking for any magic. Killed three people in the dungeon with a weapon, and some of the kitchen crew when he ran outta there. No one's seen him yet."
"And he hasn't teleported himself out? You sure he's an ex-Summoner?"
"Nawww, Master would know if he did. Stupid bloke didn't teleport at all, too clever for that see? He knows he'll get caught. No one's teleported out anywhere in this town, so we thinkin' he's running further away in town until he goes out of range. Then he'll portal out."
"How long?"
"How long what?"

I shook his head a bit. He can't be that thick can he?
"No really! How long what? Owww! Fuckin' bit- Stop! Please, I can't get yer' question damn!"
Nevermind.

"How long have you been looking for him?" I asked sweetly.
"Oh. Well, see why didn't you jus' tell that before lady? I mea - OW FUCK! You little bi- Ok-ok-ok-ok please not the rope, please I'll answer mam'm! Swear on me mum I'll tell ya!"
I retracted the sharp bolt from the rope, waiting.

"We been lookin' for 'im all day now, he just escaped maybe a day and a half ago? We got here yesterday, special orders to help out Singed. Town's completely shut down, so he ain't getting out unless he knows how to scale the walls. Skinny guy like him? I'd sooner bet on a flying pig as the next league champion. He gonna get caught in a matter o' days anyhow. Com'on For fuck's sake lady, I'm just doin' ma job see? I ain't got nothing personal on this bloke, just doin' ma job see?"
I chuckled darkly at that, "Nothing personal on this end either. How much is the reward for catching him?"
"I fuckin' knew you were some random ass opportunist bi- I mean, very clever and completely smart professional merc..."
The hired hand looked at me with pleading eyes.
"Well?" I asked again.
"Com'on, please miss, don't do this. I gotta catch 'im, needs the money see? If I gotta compete against some pro tracker, no way I'll win."
"Tough luck."

He stayed silent for a moment after that. Before it sunk into his head.
"You can't catch him before we do! There's a hundred of us and only one of you! Give up ya greedy two bit washed up fat leaguefors-"
"Look Val, I found a snack for you! You can claw off whatever not flat when he hits the bottom." I motioned to the eagle behind me. He hooted back happily, flashing a sharp claw and flexing. I turned to the merc, and gave him my best smile, "All you can eat buffet, just add gravity. Guess there is such a thing as a free lunch." The mercenary gulped.

"All right! All right, let's not get nasty Miss, I giv' - he's worth twenty grand, but you gotta catch him alive. Five grand if you bring 'is head back. Full head thou', you can't just scalp 'is head off like normal. Savages really, who brings a full head back for bounty in these civilized days?"
"Uh Huh... And you really thought you would catch him, over the rest of your guild?"
"Well... uhhh... tryin' can't hurt? And well... Guess if ya puts it like that... ohhhh Man I really gots to start thinkin' about d'ese things..."
A deep, fake, sigh left my lips, "It's hopeless. I'm not even going to bother, not for twenty grand. And to think it might have been something interesting... You're off the hook, this city's a waste of time."
"Haahah! Well ain't ya too important to bother with us little guys huh? Works for me. I ain't minding taking on the bottom of the barrel jobs. Wouldn't want to compete against the likes of you mam'm, all due respect." The man said with a smile plastered over his face. Likely far happier at knowing he wasn't going to die, then knowing his job hadn't been poached. Or perhaps it was the other way around? He certainly didn't seem the brightest man I've met.
With the story he'd tell his comrades tied up safely, I knocked him out and let him down post-haste.

I'd already wasted enough time catching a patrol for these answers. Time wasn't on my side. I wasn't just planning on gathering information. I'll find the Summoner myself before the crownguards make their move. A little competition never hurt anyone after all. Prince jarvan asked for my hand here, there were more then one ways to impress the crown after all. Completing a mission even Lux herself needed help on. Fate is forged in bold strokes after all, and I did have one ultimate goal. I refused to simply do my job as expected. History isn't ever made like that.

Moving around the town turned out to be more of a pain then I'd imagine. With the heightened security, I had to rely on Valor scouting out blind spots to move onward. They weren't well trained, but they made up for it in numbers. The first thing I'd learned as a ranger - the more deaths occur, the higher the chance of a snag being hit. It was important to avoid killing a single guard, they might mistake it for Higgs being spotted and that net would collapse on me instead. I'd need to save that plan for the future.

Unlike Higgs however, I wasn't the one they were looking for. Which meant even a small disguise would work wonders in letting me roam. Things became easier once I'd looted the cloak off a civilian, the streets opened up to me. The real snag came later.

Despite my years of experience, the mansion held no clues on anyone sneaking out. None.

Any possible exit had no footprints leading from it. Not even from the roof.
Either the Summoner knew exactly how to cover his trail to an artisan level of understanding, or he simply had not escaped by conventional means. I've been a tracker my whole life, that's years of dedication to detail. Few trackers could hide their tracks from me, even given advanced warning and time. Magic, as great as it was, will leave a print despite the mage's best attempts. I could discount some random Summoner had beat me at my own game. Which meant he had escaped by unconventional means.

Like a shadow, I became invisible once the sun set. The city held no challenge to me, but details were harder to spot. Eventually, I called it a day. Nothing more could be scavenged at this time of night. Thankfully, I'd already set up a small base of operation in the attic of the local silo early in the day, so that was covered. A quick return trip with Valor flying around, I found myself sitting down with time to think and contemplated the day's details.

Higgs could have escaped through the main gate, it had seen enough traffic that one additional set of prints would be lost over just one day. But that plan was only possible if he was walking away with a convenient group as to not be spotted. And considering how the entire town avoided the mansion like a plague, that couldn't be it. Just asking around lead me to realize the only groups that approach the mansion and leave, are guards and staff.

A disguise was possible, but not probable. The security would not be so inept as to be unable to tell a fake guard from a genuine one. Structural flaws could be another means to escape. The Summoner could have escaped by some underground pathway - which meant I'd have to infiltrate into the mansion and find it myself. Not the best idea for a ranger to get into such a cramped and hostile area. Not to mention Higgs had only a day to find such a flaw, whereas the security forces had years to find them. Posting guards at the exits to such flaws would be the first thing the captain of the troops would do.

I rubbed my temples. This was going nowhere. If none of the details pointed to the outside, I'd have to backtrack on the inside. He had killed only three men in his escape - in a mansion filled with guards. That meant he attacked only when absolutely necessary - and then he attacked the kitchen crew.
That's not normal. They must have spotted him, first thought. Which follows that he'd been found in the kitchen area doing something that absolutely couldn't be spotted for his plan to work. Or perhaps, the kitchen crew were the only ones capable of finding him out? If he could avoid trained guards, why had he been caught by the simple kitchen crew? He needed them dead.

What plan did he have that would lead him to the kitchen of the mansion, and that the kitchen crew could figure it out? Only one reason floated up in my head.

Higgs must have stole out on however the food arrives in the mansion, likely in a box or the undercarriage. Not the most likely of plans, but trapped like a rat Higgs couldn't be picky on his exit attempts - he'd gamble on the first realistic escape. The possibility was strong enough to warrant investigation. I'll find the trail when I find where the mansion gets its food supply. And to find that out, I'll either have to enter the mansion, or question the locals.

With easy process of elimination I set out to the town houses at dawn, after sending a quick report of the situation to my employer.

Author's note:

Shit's gonna hit the fan next chapter.

Sword fighting, betrayal, twists and turns everywhere.

Plots within plots. Going to end with a bang. :)