Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan/Case Closed.

Pairing: KaitoxShinichi

Chapter Rating: T

Collection Summary: No matter where or what they are, their lives are always entwined. KaiShin stories in fantasy settings.

Chapter Summary: A promising lead in the investigation of Toichi's murder takes Kaito and Shinichi to the home of the secretive Ebon Mages.

Chasing Shadows

[Castle Verse]

Part 2

Shinichi had seen mountains before—there were several in and around Kaito's lands, but the great, glowering mountain range that housed the city of Ebon was something entirely new to him. It just kept getting bigger and bigger the closer the merchant caravan got to it until it was literally blotting out the sky. Shinichi could easily imagine people long ago deciding the range was the wall at the end of the world when they first laid eyes on it.

"Funny you should say that," Kaito remarked as he walked up behind Shinichi and looped his arms around the disguised librarian's waist. The two of them stood before the window of their hotel room. The hotel itself was situated on the very edge of this town, and the window gave them a splendid view of the tangled woodlands that stretched all the way from the far edge of the town's farming fields all the way to the feet of the great mountains whose features they couldn't even make out.

"It's believed that most people in these areas are descendants of folks who moved inland from the sea. When they first came to these mountains, they named them the End of the World. But then people decided the name was too dramatic and not very accurate anyway, so they changed it. Or rather they unnamed it, and everyone started trying to claim bits and pieces of it by naming them after themselves and their peoples and so on. Except of course no one really agreed which kingdoms owned what bits. Now every peak and ridge has many names."

"That's…not very helpful."

Kaito laughed. "Definitely not. Though nowadays the most accurate maps are those from Ebon—though they're not big on sharing them. They're the only kingdom actually in the mountain range. Other kingdoms have a few trading posts in and around the place, but most are only on the fringes. Those who actually travel through the mountains are either merchants or bandits—sometimes they're both."

"But didn't Ethan say that we would be leaving most of the caravan and the guards here?"

"He did. The roads into Ebon are all pretty treacherous, or so I hear. And we're only bringing gemstones into the city. The rest of our wares are going to be sold here. So while the rest of the caravan does that, you, me, and Ethan will head through the mountains to Ebon on our own. I've assured Ethan that I am capable of defending us from any unsavory characters who might wish to commandeer our cargo. Ethan too has assured me that he is a skilled warrior and knows well how to use these woods to our advantage should the need to flee arise."

"That's good," Shinichi said dryly. "But I'd rather it didn't come to that."

"Don't worry. I have some precautions in mind. I've already set some of them up. I'll complete the rest tomorrow morning before we head out."

Shinichi nodded, relaxing back into the magician's embrace. "I talked to the locals. They don't know much for certain about the city despite being one of the only settlements that sees regular traffic with them. There's a general agreement that people from Ebon are close-lipped about anything that relates to their city, including their culture, lifestyle, and even government. But I did meet one man who had a map of the city that his father drew the one time he visited when he was younger and working as a hired guard. He said he didn't know how accurate the map would still be, but he let me have it."

"Just like that?" Kaito asked, skeptically. "A lot of people would pay handsomely for a map like that just for the rarity."

Shinichi shrugged. "I offered to pay him, but he declined. I thought we could bring him a thank you gift on our way back."

"We'll bring him some Ebon Cherries. Now how about you show me that map? Even if it isn't exact, any additional information we can get could come in handy."

-0-

Kaito, Shinichi, and Ethan left for the mountain trails early the following morning. It was difficult going. The trails were narrow, rugged, and convoluted. They wound through alternating swaths of dense, prickly wilderness and uneven, rocky terrain. In most places, the slopes were steep. In others, they were picking their way over loose rocks or edging along ledges that promised a plunge to certain death if they slipped.

"Are all the trails this treacherous?" Shinichi asked Ethan when the three of them paused for lunch.

"They're not all this bad in terms of geography," he admitted. "There is one that you can get horses up. But people only take that route if they have no choice because it's the one that the bandits are bound to be watching. I've never heard of any merchant managing that route without being ambushed at least once."

"I take it that means we're taking this singularly inhospitable trail because the bandits find it to be too troublesome to risk?" asked Kaito.

Ethan shrugged. "That's exactly it. Sorry."

"There's no reason for you to apologize," Shinichi assured him. "A tough hike is better than having to fight off a bunch of bandits." After all, if they did have to fight, Kaito might end up giving away the fact that he was a magician, and that would complicate things unnecessarily when they got to Ebon. "We just have to be careful."

"Shina's right," Kaito agreed. "Now come on. We should take advantage of the daylight while we can."

As they all agreed with this, they resumed their trek.

The three travelers spent another five full days hiking the mountain trails. It could have been a much longer journey, but they had seen fair weather the entire time, and they met no trouble in the forms of either bandits or wild animals. They got their first glimpse Ebon on the morning of the sixth day. The entirety of the massive city was wrapped within a shimmering dome of magical protection that made it difficult to make out anything about the settlement within in any detail.

It took all the rest of that day to make their way to the edge of that protective dome. Once there, Ethan followed them along the perimeter until they reached a small, marble watchtower. There was no door, but Ethan didn't seem bothered by this. He strode up to the smooth, white wall and placed both hands on it. Then he called out his name and position with the Oyumi merchants.

The instant his voice died away, a crack appeared in the stone. It raced up, across then down to form the outline of a door which then opened. Out stepped a soldier in silver armor covered in runic carvings. He conversed shortly with Ethan then disappeared back into the tower.

"Now we wait," Ethan announced, returning to where Kaito and Shinichi were standing.

And so wait they did. Until a circular portal opened in the magical barrier right next to them.

Out of that portal stepped a stern-faced man in flowing black robes. Like the armor of the guards, these robes were covered in runes, though these were sewn with silver threads that seemed to glow with a frosty light. That cold light seemed to roll of the man in tangible, icy waves.

"Follow me," he instructed. Not waiting for an answer, he turned around and walked back through the portal. The three merchant representatives trailed after him.

Once they had passed through the barrier, the city before them suddenly became much clearer. The entire place was a complex sprawl of stone structures both huge and tiny. The workmanship of those buildings was surprisingly beautiful, and the city was truly breathtaking, but it was also very imposing. It was a strange feeling in the air, Shinichi decided. It was a feeling of being watched. It felt to him like there were eyes tracking their every move from within the darkness of each and every window, alley, doorway, and alcove. It was enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The feeling didn't fade at all even when the streets around them began to fill with people, each one of which paused in the midst of their activities to peer curiously at the strangers passing through their city. It was with relief that Shinichi saw that they must have reached their destination.

It was a massive tower ringed by glowing crystals that hovered just above head level. The tower's double doors opened silently and apparently without aid as they approached, and their guide didn't even slow his steps as he ascended the steps and crossed the threshold into the building.

The lobby was an eerily beautiful chamber decorated with colorful, swirling patterns comprised of gems set into the walls, floor, and ceiling. They took turns glowing so that the chamber was filled with an ever-shifting haze of multicolored lights. Shinichi noticed the intensity in Kaito's eyes as the magician studied the gems and the designs they made, and he understood that these decorations were more than an aesthetic statement.

The jeweled patterns continued throughout the interior of the tower. Whatever else they were meant to do, they certainly made navigation confusing. Their guide led them through multiple halls and chambers and up two flights of steps then down another (much to Shinichi's confusion) before coming to a stop in a small, square room furnished with a table and several ebony chairs carved with yet more runes.

"Wait here," their guide instructed before disappearing through a door that appeared when he pressed his hand to the wall.

"Be careful," Kaito whispered into Shinichi's ear under the cover of the noise the chair legs made against the floor as they all sat. "These chairs are enchanted to ensure you speak the truth."

Shinichi inclined his head slightly to indicate he understood.

Kaito turned to Ethan. "So what's supposed to happen next?"

"Well, you know the Ebon Magicians get the first pick of any precious stones brought in."

Kaito nodded. "I assumed this tower was their headquarters."

"Yep," the older man agreed cheerfully. "Our guide is going to inform the order's masters that we're here. One of the masters will come interview us—that happens with all visitors to the city, not just merchants. If they clear us then we set up an appointment during which the order's magicians will go over our wares and pick out the ones they want. After that, we'll receive a permit to take our wares to the open market."

"Sounds simple enough."

"It is."

"Does that mean we'll be able to explore the city after they give us clearance?" asked Shinichi.

"To a degree. We'll vet a visitor's pass once they clear us that we're required to keep with us at all times. The city's divided into several different gated areas. Visitor passes only get you into a few of them. But everywhere we'd need to go is within those areas so it's not a big deal."

Kaito and Shinichi traded speaking glances but said nothing.

"What happens if they don't clear us?" Kaito asked, injecting a note of concern into his voice.

"Then we'd have to leave right away. But don't worry, I've done this a dozen times. Just let me handle the talking."

Score. Kaito hid his satisfied grin behind a nod of gratitude. Since Ethan knew them only as Kozuki Kaito and Shina, he would be able to introduce them without triggering the truth spells in their chairs.

Their guide returned five minutes later with a grim-faced woman dressed in black robes much like the guide's own. She didn't bother introducing herself, launching instead straight into questions about their credentials and purpose in coming to the city. Ethan answered her questions easily, apparently unfazed by her cold, clipped demeanor. Eventually, she nodded and pulled three silver coins from inside her voluminous sleeve.

"These tokens must be kept within ten feet of you at all times," she instructed. "They will serve as your pass at the city gates. Note that, if you lose them or attempt to give them away, there will be dire consequences." Warnings delivered, she handed one token to each of them. Then she turned her gaze back to Ethan.

"We have a full schedule right now, with the Cherry Festival in progress. We will contact you in three days to schedule your review session. Until then, you should enjoy our festival."

Shinichi had never heard an invitation to have fun delivered with less enthusiasm.

With the short meeting apparently at an end, the magician who had originally led them into the tower escorted them out and to a hotel which had been selected for them.

"Nice of them to find our lodgings for us," Kaito remarked dryly.

His sarcasm went right over Ethan's head. The older man was nodding amiably. "They have three hotels for visitors. Their accommodations are quite good."

The man rambled on, explaining how they were lucky to have arrived during the Cherry Festival—one of the largest celebrations in Ebon because it honored the famous Ebon Cherries. He had only heard of the festival before now, and he was looking forward to participating in it. He continued to share stories of his previous trips to the city with his two companions over dinner. If he was surprised by Shinichi and Kaito's attentiveness to all the details he could provide, he thought nothing of it.

Later, finally alone in their room, Shinichi let out a breath of relief and sank onto the edge of the single large bed.

"Tired?" Kaito asked.

"A little, but I'm glad this place isn't as unwelcoming as everyone made it sound even if they're not exactly welcoming."

"Yet they designate where we're to stay and where we can go and expect us to answer to their call when they do so."

"Well, yes, but they're letting us explore unsupervised even if it is only within certain parts of the city."

"Or so it seems."

Shinichi frowned. "What do you know?"

Sitting down on the bed next to him, Kaito held up his silver token. "These are enchanted. While we have them, the Ebon Mages will always know exactly where we are. They also know what we are feeling."

"You don't mean they're reading our minds…"

"No, just our emotions. Monitoring thoughts would be a lot harder and almost impossible using a mere coin. But they'll know if we, say, are wary or worried for long periods or if we otherwise react badly to things we see and hear. Furthermore, any attempt to interfere with their surveillance either with magic or mundane means will trigger some pretty nasty spells. We'll have to be very cautious. I'll bet they'll be monitoring us very closely especially for these first few days."

Shinichi grimaced. "Well that's comforting."

Kaito laughed. "Indeed. But this may work to our advantage. If we convince them that we're just happy, curious touring merchants, they may let down their guard. In any case, for now, we just have to relax and explore."

-To Be Continued-