Disclaimer: I own nothing. I meant to say the same for the last chapter, but I forgot. This note stands for both chapters.
Name: Potter, H.
Location: Stormwind (Warcraft Canon)
Harry was reading a book as he walking down the pathways of the Magic Quarter in Stormwind. The wizard had found some interesting texts on magic that he was always taught to be impossible. In this case, he was reading on the conjuration of food and drinks. The details, or lack thereof, were becoming frustrating.
Magic structure... "mana reserve" drain... duration...damn it! Where's the written spell? You would figure they would keep a written spell for these things. Harry thought to himself. If I could just figure out how this world's magic operates, I'd be all set to use these spells. He then stopped and looked at the large central tower of the Quarter. Great. Guess I'll have to go to school some time or another. Sod it, I'm going to check out the Trade District, see if there's anything new for sale.
As Harry passed through the central Cathedral District, he heard a familiar woman's voice shout:
"CLEAR THE WAY! GUARDS COMIN' THOUGH!"
Harry turned as he saw Captain Kaedrin jogging through with a pair of guard troops. Harry took off to keep up with Kaedrin.
"Problem Captain?"
"Oh, it's you. So much for searching for you," replied the guardswoman. "I just got word of a murder over at the Pig and Whistle. Makale is already there. Funnily enough, he asked for you specifically."
The wizard stopped for a moment. "You're joking, right? What would he want me to do?"
Kaedrin shrugged. "I didn't ask and I don't think it really matters. The fact is, Mak requested you, and I was to bring you under no uncertain terms."
Harry sighed. "Just as well that he would do something like that." Oh, excellent, Harry thought. I've gone from being backup in a prison riot to amateur detective. Why can't I just be a bystander for once?
A crowd had gathered at the Pig and Whistle inn. Makale was standing at the entrance as Harry, Kaedrin and the guard pair shoved their way through the masses.
"Thank you Diana," the paladin greeted the guardswoman with a curt nod. "And I see you found Judas." Makale reached out to shake the wizard's hand.
Accepting the handshake, Potter said, "I was already in the area. Soo...why did you need me? If it's a murder investigation, I'm certain that there are much more capable people than a wandering mage."
"Honestly, I was hoping you were looking for a steady job," replied the paladin. "I need someone to help me out with my line of work, and I thought you could use the extra gold." This may be a valid reason, thought Makale. But the fact it isn't my real reasons still makes me nauseous. But as Life-Binder wills...
"Well, I appreciate the gesture, but I'm still not sure as to what you would have me do." Harry peeked his head inside the tavern.
"Just act as an extra set of eyes. Tell me what you think of the situation and let me know if you find anything we may have missed. Trust me, you cannot be any worse than what I've had to work with in the past few weeks." Harry repressed a wince as he was reminded of the mental-deficient known as Detective Horatio Laine. "Now, we need to move quickly. Are you in or out Judas?"
The wizard shrugged. "You've got yourself a partner."
The paladin smiled. "Excellent. Captain, if you would have your men post at the door. We have work to do."
As the trio walked up the stairs Harry couldn't help but notice his shoes sticking to the floor. Looking down, he saw a trail of drying blood dripping from stair to stair. "Oh, goody," he said, sarcasm heavy in his voice. "It's one of those murders, isn't it?"
"Looks like," said Makale. "Binder only knows what would cause someone to do something like this. Horde assassins might make a kill to scare people, but they wouldn't make it so messy... oh, Red preserve us..."
Makale stopped as he looked inside the second room in the hallway. A woman's corpse was hanging from the wall, pinned by daggers in her hands and feet. Hundreds of knife wounds could be seen all across the body, with skin in some areas hanging off of the shredded limbs. In the center of the head was a small hole, as if something had burned clean through. Around the body was blood, smeared into writing. Some of the text seemed indecipherable but the trio could make out words such as "FICtiOni SREA LityIs LIEs" and "aGoN YoF Life," as well as what appeared to be advanced calculations in smaller print.
What scared Harry the most was the last detail he noticed, a border comprised of one word, written over and over again.
Potter
Harry quietly said to Makale, "I think I need to step outside for a moment." When Makale nodded, the wizard walked out of the room and down the steps.
"Calm yourself, Harry," he whispered as he began pacing up and down the dining area. "There's a reason you picked a fake name with no link to you. That border could mean any number of things."
After collecting himself, Harry walked back up the stairs to join Makale and Kaedrin. However, the one thing that stayed at the forefront of his mind was simply, What if it does mean me?
"You throw up, Judas?"
Harry shook his head at the paladin. "Just needed to clear my head for a second. Less likely to jump to conclusions that way." Looking at the guardswoman, he continued, "Did you find out who rented out the room? Or who the body is?"
"Yes and no. The room was actually rented out to one of our cemetery groundskeepers," the guard captain replied. "His name is James Mathers. I was going to investigate more at his shack after we're done here."
"Don't bother, Diana." Harry had walked towards the body, eyeing the hole in the head more closely. "I can head over there for you. This reeks of a psychotic sending a message to somebody. She looks like she was killed first, pinpoint fire spell clear through her head. All of the other marks would have come from after she died, lest some random patron downstairs hears anything." The wizard looked closer at the face and neck, noting the impressions in her skin. "Hand over mouth, killed then trussed up an cut on. All while no one noticed a thing until after the killer left. At least, that's how I see it. Mak?" Harry turned to the paladin.
Makale nodded curtly. "Me and Captain Kaedrin here both noticed the same details. Speaking of which," the paladin turned to the guardswoman, "Perhaps you can get a look into what these messages might mean. The border phrase 'Potter' might lead us towards the next target, if there should be one." Kaedrin nodded and turned to leave. "Judas, try not to get hurt. I'm of two minds about what we could find at Mather's. His house might lead us to another clue, but I'm unsure. I've met James before, he didn't have any kind of capability, nor the lack of morals for something like this. This reeks of a set-up."
"I wouldn't know." Harry had replied, "but I'm not ruling it out. We won't know more until we investigate further, and should something happen I can rush back to the Recluse. Do you mind helping Captain with her search? I'm sure I can handle myself in a gravekeeper's hut."
Makale sighed. "Fine. Again, just be careful. Life-Binder protect you." I'm sure I can leave him be for an hour at least. I'd rather find the next target as soon as possible.
The wizard replied, "And you as well." Note to self: Find out the meaning behind this 'Life-Binder.' Also, keep the lookout for him. I want to know how he moves about.
Location: Mather's Residence, Stormwind
Harry walked up to the little shack, its appearance not unlike his old friend Hagrid's home. The wizard knocked on the door. "Hello? James Mathers? Investigator Judas, here. Just have a few ques-" Harry stopped as he heard a high-pitched whine coming from the inside of the hut. instinctively Harry dove out of the way as the upper half of the door was blasted apart by a beam of light. Harry then unlocked his blade-rails, drawing an airfoil magazine and locking into its slot. The whine returned as another beam finished off the door and a red-haired man came leaping out of the burning door frame. The man wore a black greatcoat and only a dirty grey tunic and simple trousers underneath. In the man's right arm Harry recognised as a beam rifle that the odd creature from the Stockade had used to attack him. The wizard leapt out of the way again as the emaciated man fired at Harry once more.
Leveling his A.R.M., Harry fired several rounds at his attacker, who then used his rifle to block the shots. The pair traded shots twice more, to no avail, when Harry cast a Full-Body Bind at the assailant. The rifleman took the brunt of the spell, yet managed to stand back up, fire another volley, and run off. The attacker's only words to Harry was, "Potter, Potter POTTER! WE'LL BURN YOU LATER!"
Harry took the beam in his flesh wrist and dropped his wand in the grass when a scream was heard from the inside of the hut. Grabbing his wand in his metal arm and healing the large burn hole in his hand, Harry ran inside to find that the building was set ablaze and a young woman was chained to the bed. Harry fired a series of airfoils at the chains and went to work quenching the fire. The woman grabbed a nearby bucket and ran off In search of a well. With a supreme lack of patience Harry began flooding the fire with summoned water. The fires quenched, the wizard noticed a small leather-bound book with the word 'JOURNAL' upon the charred cover. Harry packed the book in his ruck as the woman returned with a bucket...and a paladin.
"Damnit, Judas!" Makale exclaimed. "I thought you would be okay by yourself for an hour at the least! If this girl Laura had-"
Harry quickly cut in, "I am fine. My attacker, who I assume is James Mathers, had this woman captive and tried to rush me as I was knocking on the door. I recognise his weapon. It is the same rifle that creature from the Stockade used. He must have pulled it from the corpse when it was being buried. Now we just have to find him and, preferably, destroy that rifle before anyone else gets killed. His journal was in the shack as well. He must've tried to burn it as he was running out the door. We might have a clue written in here as to his next location."
The girl raised a hand. Harry nodded for her to speak. "Judas, was it? Well Investigator, I might have an answer for you. He kept muttering about some caverns in Tanaris. He said something about their secrets granting him even more power."
At this, Makale's eyes grew wide. "No...how could some gravedigger know about...Judas, I need you to get Diana and meet me back at the Recluse. I know it sounds stupid to head there, but I need a private place to tell you both something and the Recluse is the best option." Harry nodded and ran off towards the Guard offices. Turning to the girl, the paladin asked, "Laura, will you be alright on your own? I can have a guard here to escort you home."
Laura nodded. "I'll ask for an escort myself. It sounds like you need to hurry to find this man. I...I think I'll be alright. I'll take refuge with the priests." With that she turned and walked down the path towards the Cathedral District.
Makale then made a beeline towards the Magic Quarter.
From the Journal of James C. Mathers - Recent Entry - August 03
Well, I found a new trinket from the corpses tonight. A bracelet. It looks like the purest silver, yet I found it on some flayer. Ahh well, perhaps I can give it to Laura when she comes by. In the mean time I'll wear it so it won't get stolen. This is going to be a great gift! I can't wait to give to her!
Recent Entry - August 8th
I've been seeing and hearing these peculiar things. I can't explain why, but whenever I heard about either the word 'potter' or 'Merrick' I...I don't know. I always work hard to control my urges, my desires, but sometime I can see myself, standing over a corpse, the word 'formorian' (well, at least that's what it sounds like) appears in my head. It worries me.
By the way, I haven't gotten around to giving Laura the bracelet. She must be busy elsewhere, cause I haven't seen her lately. Not since the prison outbreak. Perhaps I'll see her tomorrow.
Final Entry - September 13th
i hear the voices i feel the painraincanepain in him the fomorian hey says...we must killtrillwillhillkill the POTTER the KNiGHT LORD we musttrustrustlustmust end him before he can urt usususus animore
Author's Note
Well, I'm finished with yet another chapter. I really hope you guys enjoy this one, I've been trying some new things to help me with my writer's block and this is what I've come up with.
I'm eternally grateful for you guys breaking the 3000 view mark for Tales, I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate the support.
As always don't be afraid to read, rate and review my musings. I always look forward to your feedback.
Until next time,
MasterMerrick