Clover Kingdom
Forsaken Realm
Grimmtowne
Town Square Inn
The evening of their departure from the Capital

"Are you sure this is going to work," muttered Kirsch to Zora, as they sat in the dingy tavern of the only inn in the town.

Zora scoffed, normally lower-face black mask off, so as not to stand out, which was honestly quite distracting Kirsch. Why was Zora so handsome? "Who's got more experience investigating shit, dumbass?"

Kirsch scowled and adjusted the hat that Zora forced on his beautiful blond head of hair. Kirsch hated hats, but he understood that he'd also stand out. He rolled his eyes at Zora. "Fine. Let's just be careful."

"Once the drinks start coming, the lips start moving," said Zora. He stopped talking when the waitress came over with two bowls of stew and two big mugs of ale (the house special) for them. "Thanks." She left them, immediately as she was being called over to another table. "Eat. You still need to bulk up after almost dying."

Staring at the muddy brown meat-and-tato stew, Kirsch knew better than to complain about food in front of Zora. He took the spoon and scoops a bit of it. It was super salty, but filling and warm at least. Kirsch focused on eating, lest he get scolded again by his mother. (Should he be concerned that his mother and Zora have bonded as comrades so much?)

Zora was focused on the men and women, there after a long day's work, in the inn's tavern. They were eating and drinking and just generally decompressing.

Most of the conversations Kirsch managed to hear were mundane things—complaining about rent and money in general, complaining that the Magic Knights were never around when things got tough, and complaining about their kids and/or spouse and/or parents. He knew that he had to be looking for someone that may have spotted Sal. The duo knew that Sal definitely made it to the town, as she did check in briefly at one point.

"Alright, you stay here and keep an ear out," said Zora.

Kirsch nodded. It would be best to split up and double their odds of finding information. Honestly, it was just so nice not to have work with people he had to baby. Zora and Kirsch were both strong and capable in their own right, so working together made sense and they usually got the job done quickly. "Fine. Be careful."

"I'm always careful," replied Zora, glibly. "You're the one that needs to be careful.

"Sure," Kirsch retorted, knowing full well that Zora Ideale was not always careful as he claimed. "Get me if you find out anything."

"Yeah."

Clover Kingdom
Forsaken Realm
Grimmtowne
Back streets
Same evening

Zora left Kirsch in the inn's tavern. He wasn't about to take Kirsch to the worst spots in town. Every town had a dark side, as Zora learned early on in his travels. Kirsch may be a competent Magic Knight Vice-Captain, but he was also a royal, who tended to put his foot in his mouth. The last thing he needed was Kirsch being marked as easy prey. That was not to say that Kirsch was easy prey to anyone, but people tended to judge someone based on their appearance and Kirsch was generally fancy, pretty and rich-looking.

Generally, the homeless, the pick-pockets, drunks and drug-infested people gathered around in the same area, no matter the town. It was like they were all attracted to each other like a moth to the flame. Just a few blocks away from the inn, Zora found the "hidden" side of Grimmtowne.

Zora sighed and made his way down the street, giving off a menacing aura, to ward off the pick-pockets, but not so much that it scared the homeless away. He found that the homeless people were just so poor or affected by a mental illness that they couldn't function in normal society, but they were the most helpful.

He found a group huddled around a fire in a trash bin. Zora called out to them, but not getting too close, so not to startle anyone. "Hey, have any of you seen black-haired and gray-eyed woman about this tall asking about Grimm Castle?" He gestured to Sal's approximate height on his body.

"Nope."

"G'away."

"Nah."

"Talk to Old Baba," said one of the people. "She knows everything going on in this God-forsaken town."

Zora asked, "Where can I find this Old Baba?"

"Usually hangs off of Market Street, peddling her "medicine,"" replied the same person, pointing east.

"Thanks."

Zora headed towards Market Street, looking for an old woman selling medicine. She was easy to spot. The wrinkled blob that was Old Baba had seen better days. Zora held back a cringe as he approached her, noting the heavy, heavy smell of "medicine."

"5 for 5, young man," said the old woman, breathing heavily, and eyes barely open.

"You Old Baba?"

"Hmm? Who's asking?"

"I'm looking for a woman. She's got black hair and gray eyes. Average height and built. May have been asking about Grimm Castle a couple of months ago. Word is that you know everything in this town," said Zora, easily, pulling out some coins to give to the old woman.

"Ahhh, yes, the Magic Knight lady. Yes, yes, I am starting to recall," said Old Baba, putting out her hand.

Rolling his eyes, he gave her more coins. "So, you've talked to her?"

"Haven't seen her in a month. But yes, she asked me about the old castle," said Old Baba. "She went in last month and never came out. Assume she's dead, just like the others."

Steeling himself, Zora asked, "What exactly did you tell her about the castle?"

"That a demon lives there and kidnaps people of this town to eat them at regular intervals," said Old Baba, motioning for more coins.

Sal was going to owe him, as he put more coins in the old woman's gnarled hands. "No one's actually seen the demon. Sometimes, foolish young men go into the castle on dares or to save someone, but they never come out. Be warned, young man! Grimm Castle is not a playground. That girl shouldn't have been asking such questions. We just learn to live with it."

Zora scowled, as he gave the woman more coins. "Thanks for the info, old lady." It sounded like Sal must have sprung some sort of ancient trap and was stuck inside the castle.

He rushed back to the inn, wasting no time and pulling Kirsch out of there, as the royal man was about to throw hands with some of the people in there. Honesty, Zora left Kirsch alone for like an hour and he was picking fights with the locals.

"Easy, idiot. Sal definitely went into the castle," said Zora, dragging Kirsch out of the inn's tavern, after throwing more money at the barkeeper. Zora explained to Kirsch what he learned.

Kirsch calmed his temper down and sighed. "Basically, that's what I overheard, when someone mentioned the demons plaguing the kingdom. They were talking about Asta again."

"Fuck 'em," said Zora, growling. "We gotta find Sal. I suspect ancient magical traps. We're going into the castle at daybreak."

Clover Kingdom
Forsaken Realm
Grimmtowne
Castle Gates
Daybreak

Kirsch honestly had a problem. How did he just let Zora talk Kirsch into going to the Castle without gathering more information on the place? Kirsch didn't like the idea of them going into the Castle blind. He told Zora that he wanted to wait a few days to gather information, maybe search the perimeter. In true Black Bulls' fashion, Zora was charging headlong and there was no way that Kirsch was letting Zora go into that creepy castle that was a shadow over the town by himself. Kirsch had to have Zora's back. They were a team.

It was just that Kirsch knew all the old fairy tales that came out of the Grimmtowne mythology about adventurous princes, lost princesses, witches and brave peasants overcoming adversity to help the royals. Most of the Vermillion and Silva Houses were raised on those stories. It was probably due to the fairy tales that Kirsch sometimes had grandiose ideas about being a Magic Knight.

Zora never heard the fairy tales, which made sense. Most peasants' education didn't go beyond the holy texts of the Church. And if by chance they were aware of them, it was most likely the most famous of the fairy tales "the Prince and the Peasant," equal parts love story and adventure.

While Kirsch understood Zora's haste, being that he was friend with Sal, Kirsch didn't want him, or Sal, or Zora to get hurt because they didn't think things through and now that he thought about it, this was probably why Fuegoleon sent him on the mission in the first place. His job was, in fact, to look after Zora. Zora definitely wouldn't like that if Kirsch said it out loud.

They stood before the dilapidated, dark and damp, castle's gate. The gate was one of the few things that remained mostly intact. Kirsch already sensed the angry, ancient magic from the castle. It made him nauseous.

"You worry too much."

"I worry too much? You worry as much as me," responded Kirsch, annoyed. "I just think we should take one more day to see if we can find a weakness somewhere. I do not like the magic I sense from this place."

"Well, I don't like it either, which is why Sal must be in a trap of some kind and can't get on her own," replied Zora. "It's better that it's two of us, less likely to get caught by whatever's in there."

Kirsch made a disgusted face, because he was really disgusted with himself. "Fine. Let's fine Sal and get back home."

Zora nodded and together, the two opened the Castle gate and entered the ground. Immediately, they were draped in ancient mana that had Kirsch getting goosebumps.

And when the gate slammed behind them, Kirsch said, "I told you so."

"You were just waiting to say that, weren't you?"

Kirsch chose to ignore him and moved forward. The grounds outside had seen better days. From what Kirsch was able to recall from the stories, Grimm Castle was the winter home for the royal families, taken care of during the rest of the year by the Grimm Noble family. The style of architecture indicated the castle was constructed in older days.

There was no door on the castle, so they just entered the main remaining castle building. "Is that a mold smell on top of the ancient mana?"

"Unfortunately, I think so," said Zora. "Let me know how your breathing goes here."

Kirsch nodded. While he was mostly healed from the horrendous event, the flower buildup in his lungs, damaged his lungs to the point where he technically should still be on bed rest. Sometimes, he caught himself being short of breath. Due to the fact that Kirsch and Yuno were the last ones cured, the effects of the curse were remembered. Yuno had it worse, in Kirsch's opinion, as Yuno's throat got torn up quite badly.

"We'll search room by room," said Kirsch.

"Agreed."

Clover Kingdom Fairy Tale
The Prince and the Peasant
Part 1

Once upon a time, there was a brave and handsome Clover Prince. The youngest of many brothers, he was left to travel the kingdom, using his starlight magic, to protect the denizens of the Kingdom. He faced evil warlords, corrupt nobles, terrible witches, rogue wizards, and the monsters that went bump in the night. Everyone loved the young heroic Prince.

Everyone that is, except the Prince's oldest brother, who ascended the throne of Clover after the death of their steady, righteous father, the previous King. Jealous, petty and half-as-gifted in mana, the new King hated his youngest brother, beloved by all. He strived to take his brother down in secret, sending mercenaries and assassins after the young Prince.

The heroic Prince, however, was far too skilled and eagle-eyed to be taken down by hired hands. Day after day for a year, our hero defended himself against rogue and criminal. This, of course, angered the
King, so the King went to a witches' coven, who lived outside the control of the Witch Queen, to hire them to take down his youngest brother.

Facing one witch was tough enough, and while skilled and powerful, the Prince was no match for an entire coven of witches. He fought and he fought to surpass his limits, but the witches' coven had the Prince cornered on all sides. It was in that moment he knew that he was going to die and he was strangely okay with it.

But an unexpected savior arrived. The young woman had shadow magic, but low mana, but her interference gave the Prince enough time to take down the witches. Once they were knocked out, he and his savior fled the scene until enough distance was between them and the witches.

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Miss."

The young woman refused his thanks, claiming that anyone would have stepped in, but he found that she didn't look at him when she spoke softly.

"May I have your name, Miss?"

"You may not, Your Highness," responded the woman. "I'm a mere peasant. You need not worry about me."

In the midst of the conversation, he finally saw her eyes clearly. His savior was blind, but it didn't diminish his good opinion on her, even if she was a bit rude. He wondered how she knew that he was a
Prince. He asked her just that question.

"It's the way you speak, Your Highness. Way too polite to a person like me."

Despite her reluctance, he insisted that he escort her home as repayment for helping him, and she agreed, if only to get him to leave her alone faster. Along the way, the conversations with her tended to go the same way. It slightly frustrated him that she was dismissive of herself.

Eventually, they reached her home in the woods, some ways from the nearest town. A man, presumably her father was waiting for her. "Are you alright? Where have you been?"

And the Prince recognized the man from his youth in the Capital. The man was once a soldier, a bodyguard from the royal capital, who taught the Prince how to use his magic in combat. This man was once his teacher.

The man recognized him as well.

"Your Highness, thank you for bringing my wayward daughter home. She's always getting into trouble."

He was invited in for a meal, much to his savior's displeasure and his old teacher's glee.

Clover Kingdom
Forsaken Realm
Grimmtowne
Grimm Castle
Dawn

Seventeen rooms into this god-forsaken castle and Zora was at his wit's end. Each room the magic was getting stronger and stronger. But also, the further they went into the castle, the nicer things became. There was definitely some ancient magic going on here.

Considering that the gate closed on them as soon as they entered, they were trapped until they found the person behind the chaos. "Have you noticed the changes?"

"We are going deeper and deeper into this trap," said Kirsch, looking a little pale, and breathing heavier than earlier.

"Oi, do you need to stop," asked Zora, trying not to let the concern seem too much into his tone.

Kirsch waved him off. "It'll pass. The mana here is very different than what I'm used to sensing."

Scowling, Zora let it go this time. But if Kirsch started being unable to breathe, they were stopping. They continued walking, as the halls became shinier and newer, like the castle hadn't been abandoned for hundreds of years. Kirsch grabbed Zora's arm, pointing to one of the rooms.

"I think I sense Sal," said Kirsch, "but it's probably a trap."

Zora narrowed his eyes and concentrated. He wasn't as good at sensing mana like Luck or Kirsch, but Sal had a very distinctive mana, as her affinity was storm, so the scent of incoming storm always permeated the air around her. Zora sensed a small trace. It was a good enough clue.

"Do we risk going in?"

"I don't think we have a choice," replied Kirsch. "We will just deal with the consequences later."

"Fair," said Zora. Together they opened the door where they sensed Sal.

The wind picked up and the force was so strong, it knocked both of the men into the room. Tripping over each other, they nearly landed on the floor. Zora steadied himself and Kirsch did the same.

"Shit, where'd the door go," Zora asked.

Kirsch replied, "We're stuck in a door-less, windowless room. Wonderful."

"Oh, great, my genius husband sent you two to save me, huh," snarled a familiar voice.

Zora and Kirsch turned to find Sal Vermillion, very furious, bound in a large bird cage. She looked bad. She looked exhausted and her mana level was clearly very low. Her normal clothes were gone, in place of some sort of a puffed up dress that looked completely out of place on her.

"Sal!"

"Sal, what the hell's going on?"

Sal rolled her eyes, scoffing at them. "It's a long story, but we've got time. Sit down, it's a doozy."

Ch. End

As always let me know what you think.

(Also, for anyone waiting for the Magna/Klaus story I was promising, I'm putting that one on hold for a bit. I've way too many projects at the moment, so I had to cut a few things).