AN: Again, sorry for the delay. Last week has been wild and again writing has my go-to for a wonderful distraction. Anyway, hope you enjoy reading~
Chapter 4:
Drayce sat in his chair at the dining table, his elbow resting upon the table as his attention was focused upon the piece of parchment that held a rough sketch of the floor plan of the third floor. He twirled a pencil idly with his fingers, pondering on what he and his guild should do for the day.
Because of the golem statues, they had covered a large swath of the floor already. Yet, there was still much of the floor they hadn't ventured into yet. And he would hazard a guess that a certain Owl Beast saw that part of the floor as their territory.
They needed to find a way to deal with that FOE. A way that didn't involve fighting.
The sound of the front door creaking open pulled Drayce from his thoughts. He immediately perked his head up and he pushed back his chair. He left his map on the table as he took to his feet. He reached the threshold of the dining room archway just in time to watch as Zohar stepped into the foyer and close the door behind him.
He had to admit, he felt himself breathe a sigh of relief.
"Zohar, there you are," he greeted, immediately gaining the man's attention. He moved closer, only to pause mid-step when he took note of the solemn, silently frustrated expression on his face. "You ok? You've been gone all day and night."
Zohar managed a tight smile. "Yes, I'm fine."
That was a lie. A blatant lie.
"I apologise for worrying you," Zohar continued before he turned, making the motion to move toward the stairs.
"Um, Fiorello told me," Drayce blurted out before he had the chance to reconsider. "About your…job."
Zohar paused in his steps, his shoulders instantly growing tight and tense. "Did he now?"
Drayce wrung his hands in front of him. "I'm glad he did. I mean, now, I can be a little more understanding. You know?"
Zohar didn't respond. He didn't resume his journey, either, which Drayce took as a good sign.
"Is everything all right?"
Finally, Zohar uttered a quiet sigh, his shoulders losing some of their tension in a form of defeat. He turned around to face Drayce, appearing tired and weary. Clearly, it had been a long, stressful night.
"The victim was the woman that accosted me yesterday."
Drayce's eyes widened. "What?"
"It appears as though she had found a necromancer that does not abide by the rules." Zohar reached up to tiredly pinch the bridge of his nose. "It is very…concerning."
"What happened?"
"No." Zohar's voice was sharp, startling enough that Drayce took a half step back in surprise. Zohar soon caught himself and he dropped his hand to his side as he turned to give Drayce a small smile. "You have enough to concern yourself with."
That wasn't necessarily true. No busier than he had been regarding the two previous floors of the labyrinth. So that wasn't entirely it.
"You're purposely ensuring that I don't get involved, aren't you?" That wasn't an accusation, but a pointed observation.
The smile faded from Zohar's lips and he uttered another sigh. "…It's a side of life I do not wish for you to witness."
Both ominous but intriguing.
"I know of some of the rules," Drayce revealed as he began to fidget with his hands again. "What…happens when they are broken."
"That specifically is what I wish for you not to witness." Zohar reached up to rest a hand on Drayce's shoulder. "Please understand."
Drayce could never deny or dismiss someone's protectiveness. Zohar had his reasons. He had no right to brush that aside. Besides, stomping his foot and making demands wasn't going to help him in any way. Spitting out orders wasn't the best foundation for an efficient guild.
"Ok, ok. I won't stick my nose in it any further." He thumped his hand against the centre of Zohar's chest lightly. "Just, don't push yourself, ok? You really don't have to deal with things all on your own."
A flicker of relief appeared in Zohar's icy-blue eyes and the corner of his mouth twitched into a half smile. Now that they were standing close toward each other, Drayce noted that Zohar's weariness wasn't just from fatigue. He tried to hide it, yes, but it was evident in the slight dark rings under his eyes.
He was worried. Puzzled. And unsettled.
That case of his…
Just as Drayce was about to suggest that Zohar tried to get some rest, as he was clearly quite weary, the sound of footsteps moving down the stairs left those words on the tip of his tongue. He peered around Zohar and saw that it was Fiorello who had ambled along the stairs.
"Ah, you're finally back," Fiorello said in a form of greeting toward Zohar. He then walked over to him, and lightly smacked him on the leg. "Be considerate and give some warning next time, hm?"
"My apologises," Zohar answered simply.
Folding his arms behind his back, Fiorello turned his attention toward Drayce. "Ah, Drayce, you're running low on Ariadne Threads. You may need to send someone to the markets."
"Nah, I'll go," Drayce immediately offered. "Feeling restless for some reason. Besides, Zohar hasn't had breakfast yet." He turned and poked Zohar lightly in the centre of his chest. "And after you do, get some sleep. It's been a long night, right?"
He decided not to give Zohar time to reply, as he would either offer another apology or dismiss his concern in order to reassure him. And, nope, Drayce wasn't having it. With Fiorello there, he'd ensure that Zohar got some rest.
"Tell Ashton I'll be back soon."
… … … … …
Drayce rested the paper bag filled with Ariadne Threads in the crook of his arm as he rested his other hand on his hip. He shook his head in slight dismay as he stared down at the figure lounging casually on the wooden park bench.
"Man, again?"
Did Kyrell wander from the labyrinth just to fall asleep somewhere else? That guy really could sleep anywhere! But at least it wasn't in the middle of the monster filled labyrinth again.
Perched on the back of the bench, seemingly snoozing himself, was Raven. They honestly looked peaceful, even if the bench looked rather uncomfortable. He should probably leave the two be.
Just as that thought flickered through his mind, Raven snapped open his beady white eyes and looked directly at him. He then released a happy little chirp, his little red tongue lounging from the corner of his beak. His little squark immediately awakened Kyrell from his sleep.
With a snort, Kyrell peeled open his eyes and lazily lolled his head in Drayce's direction. "Hm," he murmured as he stretched his arms over his head. "We need to stop meeting like this."
"I guess so." Drayce gave a short laugh as he dropped down onto the bench next to Kyrell. Raven fluttered from the back of the wooden seat and chose to perch himself on Drayce's shoulder. He couldn't help but reach up, to poke the wraith on what he guessed was the cheek.
Faelen was right; Raven was incredibly squishy!
It was a strange feeling; solid, but malleable. It wasn't a gooey type of squishiness, either. He was sure there was a more scientific way to explain it, but squishy worked best.
"No Nashoba today. You can play fetch sometime later." That seemed to cause Raven to unceremoniously roll off of his shoulder and plopping down onto his lap. And that caused Drayce to laugh once more. "Raven is quite the character, isn't he?"
"He has his own unique charm," Kyrell replied. "And set of skills."
Drayce regarded the necromancer with a curious tilt of his head. "Yeah?"
"Some necromancers are able to share their skills with their partnered wraiths."
Now that was surprising. "Really? Does that mean Raven can fall asleep in random locations, too?"
Raven suddenly made a strange sound. It was a string of sounds; the same noise repeated several times. Low, guttural "hur hur hur". Was Raven…laughing? He must have been as Kyrell responded by reaching over and poking the very top of Raven's head with an index finger, earning a strangled squark.
Again, Drayce had to laugh at their antics.
Zohar had a similar relationship with Theodore.
"Necromancers truly have strong bonds with their partnered wraiths, don't they?" he chuckled.
"Do you know why?"
Kyrell's question caught Drayce by complete surprise. "Huh? Ah, well, no." He shrugged, subconsciously slumping back into the bench. "I mean, I am curious. Very curious. But…getting too deep into the world of necromancy, I'm just intruding. Or something. It's not a world meant for me, I guess."
A world that Zohar seemed intent to keep him away from. He had his reasons; Drayce was sure of it…
Kyrell placed his hand upon Drayce's shoulder, prompting him to turn his head toward him to find him smiling gently. "You are very considerate."
Drayce flushed lightly. "Ah, well…"
"There are many things you can learn, however," Kyrell continued. "Not all within the world of necromancy is forbidden."
That made Drayce feel hopeful. "Really?"
Kyrell's smile remained polite, until his eyes flickered over the top of Drayce's head. The kindness on his face dissipated into a strange mixture of stoniness and guilt as he dropped his hand from Drayce's shoulder quickly. The sudden change prompted Drayce to immediately turn to where Kyrell's gaze was focused. And he was surprised to realise that the one who stood several feet away, with an expression of forced stoniness of his own was none other than Zohar.
Drayce blinked. "Zohar? H-hey."
What was he doing out and about? He wasn't out on another job, was he? He had to eat and sleep at some point!
Kyrell gave a short, humourless half laugh as he rested his hands to his knees and pushed himself to his feet. "Seems that I have overstepped my boundaries."
"Huh?"
Raven fluttered from Drayce's lap to perch himself upon Kyrell's shoulder one more. And rudely stuck his tongue out at Zohar. Baffled by the pure tension that suddenly fell over them, Drayce took to his feet, also. Unintentionally placing himself between the two tall necromancers.
"I best take my leave," Kyrell continued as a small smile soon reappeared on his lips and he regarded Drayce with a small nod. "I do look forward to our next meeting Drayce. Though, I do hope I'm not asleep at the time."
"Yeah, sure. Take care." Was all Drayce could muster, still puzzled by the obvious pressure that weighed in the air.
Without another word, Kyrell turned his back to Drayce and walked away. His shoulders were relaxed, and his pace casual. He soon disappeared from view around a bend in the path and a band of trees.
The tension remained, however.
"What's wrong?" Drayce asked.
"Who was that man?" Zohar's tone was almost biting.
And it caught Drayce off guard. "Huh? His name is Kyrell. He was in the labyrinth when I met him. Sleeping under a tree. Why? Do you know him?"
A clearly agitated frown appeared on Zohar's lips. "…You're not asking other necromancers for information, are you?"
That…was an accusation.
And that made Drayce feel agitated. "What? What are you asking? I was just having a normal conversation with Kyrell. Besides, if he wants to tell me something about him as a necromancer, he's allowed to. I'm also allowed to talk to other necromancers, aren't I?"
"That is not what I am saying."
"Then what are you saying? Is this about me looking into necromancy?"
Zohar maintained his stoniness. "Some things are best left unknown."
"But I need to know," Drayce insisted, desperately. "If I don't know the rules, how do I know that I'm not breaking them? I don't want to offend anyone. I mean no harm, Zohar. Or is an Earthlain like me offensive to necromancers, regardless?"
It…it felt as though everyone was allowed to learn about necromancers and necromancy but him. He didn't like being kept out of the loop. He wasn't fragile. He was a treasure hunter. An archaeologist. He could handle it!
He just…
Zohar remained unfazed, however. "That is not-"
"Drayce!"
Drayce lifted his head in surprise. He instinctively turned in the direction of the voice, knowing immediately that the voice belonged to Blayke. He watched, in a somewhat stunned state as Blayke jogged over to him. His pace wasn't hasty, but he most certainly wasn't enjoying a morning jog.
"There you are," Blayke chided lightly. "Did you even make it to the markets?"
"Huh?" Drayce soon remembered how and why he was out of the guildhouse, and that he was still carrying said reason. "Oh, right. O-of course I did. See?"
Blayke arched an eyebrow at him for a moment before his face creased into a confused and suspicious frown. He stared at Drayce blankly for a moment before he turned his gaze to over Drayce's shoulder.
"…Something wrong?" he asks as he turned his attention back to Drayce.
"No, it's nothing." An instinctual response, but hopefully it was enough. "What's up? Ashton hunting for me already?"
Blayke continued to look suspicious, but thankfully didn't press further. "No. Not yet. Actually, we've been summoned to the Council Hall. Seems like Ramus needs to speak with us. As soon as possible."
Ramus? He must have a request he wanted to ask of them. Perfect.
"Ok, got it," Drayce answered as he slipped the bag carrying Ariadne Threads into a pocket of his coat. "Let's go."
He focused his attention forward, intent on moving toward the main street to hail one of the many carriages that worked day and night. Blayke didn't immediately follow, likely lingering back for a moment in bewilderment at the sheer tension that had fallen over Drayce and Zohar. He soon joined him, however.
And, luckily, they were able to hail a carriage relatively quickly. Better yet, the driver was one they had countered before, so immediately knew of their destination.
Drayce climbed in first with Blayke right behind him. They took their usual positions; Blayke situated behind the driver while Drayce sat across from him.
"Did something happen?" Blayke asked him again, and Drayce knew that he couldn't bluff his way with a dismissive answer.
"Zohar and I had a minor…disagreement, I suppose," he revealed, his gaze turning to stare out the window. "Don't worry about it."
Kyrell said that he was considerate. But was he? Was he being…inconsiderate instead? Damn it, was he being belligerent?
He shook his head to clear it. He would have to dwell on it later. Likely when he was lying in bed, trying to sleep. Replaying the argument over and over again. That was something to look forward to.
"What do you suppose Ramus needs to speak with us about?" Drayce queried as he turned his gaze back to the man that sat across from him.
Blayke folded his arms across his chest and leaned back into his seat. "Not a clue. All I know is that it's important that he speaks with us as soon as possible. That's it."
Man. The lack of information was frustrating sometimes.
They fell into silence, Drayce looking out the window in a desperate attempt to stop himself from replaying his…conversation with Zohar. He needed to get his head on straight. Ramus deserved his full attention.
The carriage ride seemed longer than usually, but they finally reached the courtyard of the Council Hall. They do the well-practiced routine of hopping out, paying their driver, and hurrying into the main hall. Where Ramus, ever dutiful and hard-working, stood at the head of a line of explorers and locals.
They naturally received a few disgruntled looks as they skipped to the head of the queue. But Ramus' expression brightened immediately upon seeing them, which was always nice.
"Drayce, Blayke, thank you both for coming so quickly."
Drayce smiled back at him. "Well, of course. What can we do for you?"
Ramus motioned for them to follow. "Come, to my office."
The path to Ramus' office was becoming increasingly familiar and it wasn't long until they were welcomed into room. Two chairs sat before Ramus' neatly messy desk, indicating that he clearly been waiting for them.
After Drayce and Blayke took their respective chairs, Ramus shut the door behind him and made his way to his desk. "It has come to my attention that about an hour ago, a rather destructive robbery had occurred at the museum. The theft; a cauldron hidden in a purposely sealed room. Apparently, the museum curator and staff didn't even know it was there."
Blayke immediately furrowed his brow in disbelief. "Not know it was there?"
Well, it was at a museum. With all the other relics and artifacts, it was possible that it became lost or was hidden away somewhere. Drayce had no right to judge; he had no idea how many interesting items that were scattered about the Crescentia.
Still, if they had no idea that it was there…
"I take it, it's a few centuries old, then?"
Ramus nodded his head as he sat down, an open file in front of him. "Appears so. As you can imagine, they're at a loss at what that cauldron was or why it was hidden."
Blayke continued to frown. "In other words, they have no information on it?"
"Again, it appears that way."
"Hm." Drayce leaned back into his chair. "There is definitely a reason why it was hidden in the museum. But the more pressing question is; why was it stolen?"
"Not to mention who could have known it was there," Blayke added. "And if it was hidden in a room, then those thieves definitely had to use some destructive means to get to it."
That caused Drayce to lean forward in his chair. "Is there much damage done to the museum, do you know?"
Ramus took a moment to shuffle through the file before him. "Information is hard to come by at present," he finally said, a slight tone of frustration in his voice.
He wasn't kidding.
Ramus shut the vanilla folder and folded his hands atop of it. "In saying that, that is why I would like you to handle this case, Drayce. To find any information attached to this cauldron. By learning it's possible name and history, then maybe we can deduce who would have stolen it. And why."
Drayce grinned. "Sounds good to me."
Nothing like a good mystery to take his mind off of certain matters.
"And I guess it wouldn't hurt to stick my nose into the investigation, either?"
Ramus presented him with a knowing smile. "Of course not. This is, perhaps, something I should leave to the council's scholars, but I feel that you would be far mor efficient in solving this case."
Drayce gave a short laugh. "With a recommendation like that, I better not fail."
"Since we're going full hog on this, we'll need to visit the museum," Blayke mused.
Ramus gave another short nod of his head as he leaned back to retrieve something from a drawer. "Yes. I will grand you a certificate of authority to allow you to officially become involved. And, officially, no one has the right to complain."
Blayke was unable to prevent a sceptical snort. "But they will."
"More likely than not." The sigh that Ramus gave was heavy with disappointment and frustration.
"In any case, we'll be sure to give them hell," Drayce promised as Ramus finally found the formal parchment he was searching for and signed it off with a flourish. "We'll get to work right away. Whenever we learn anything, we'll let you know."
"Yes, please do," Ramus immediately replied as he handed over the form. "And do be careful."
Drayce really couldn't fault Ramus' worry. After what happened during the last mission and project. And if a robbery had taken place, then it was highly probable that Keane and his misfit group of bandits were involved.
He sincerely hoped not.
"Don't worry," Drayce reassured, retrieving the form with a smile. "Blayke will make sure of it."
"Someone has to," Blayke retorted swiftly and pushed himself to his feet. "We'll take care of this."
Ramus found comfort in their words, thankfully. "I have faith that you will. Good luck."
Without another word, Drayce and Blayke hurried out of the office and made their way back out into the courtyard.
Truth be told, Drayce hadn't aided in a criminal investigation before, though hopefully it wouldn't be too different from exploring the labyrinth. The investigation of the mysterious cauldron was something that Shashi would relish in, however. If anyone could find long-lost and arcane information, it would be him.
Drayce signalled for a carriage. "Blayke, you head back to the Crescentia to get Shashi, Kamali, and Ashton. I'll head to the museum and get things started on that end."
Blayke nudged his shoulder lightly as a carriage pulled up. He made no attempt to jump in, however, insisting that Drayce take this one. "Don't get distracted by all the other shiny objects."
Drayce flashed him a smile. "Rude. I am a professional. See you soon."
