Chapter 15: Alchemist

For the first time in several days, Konstantin awoke without a terrible stiffness in his back. He had no idea how anyone could sleep in the beds in the infirmary- with how firm they were, the floor was probably a more comfortable option.

Several days had passed since his duel with Rudolf. The healers had finally determined that he'd recovered enough to be released from their care. So, Konstantin had returned to his dormitory, reviewed his notes, and prepared to resume his studies. He hadn't seen Rudolf at all in the infirmary, however- rumor had it the other boy's injuries were too severe for the academy staff to treat, and so he was taken to a hospital in the city. Before stepping out, however, Konstantin stopped to look at himself in the small mirror near his door. There hadn't been any in the infirmary, and he was curious about how his appearance had changed.

In truth though, not much had changed at all. He still had the same short, rust-colored hair that always seemed to stick out in odd places no matter how much he combed it. The same thin eyebrows, the same slightly upturned nose that seemed to sit a little too high on his face, the same thin lips that were only slightly darker than the rest of his pale skin, and the same round jaw that made his face seem fatter than it really was when looked at head-on.

The academy's healers had done a rather good job of tending to him. Too good of a job, he thought- the only trace of the wound Rudolf had given him were two shallow divots- one at the very top of his nose, and a second in the lower left edge of his eye socket, at the edge of his cheekbone. They looked more like notches in a wooden post than the ragged, intimidating scar he'd expected… or more accurately, that he'd hoped for.

The only thing that was truly different now were his eyes. His left eye to be specific- the right was the same pale yellow it had always been. The white part was now black, and the iris was colored a brilliant green, the exact shade shifting ever so slightly depending on the angle it was viewed from. The new eye wasn't a simple prosthesis, however, but a spell he'd found in the black book: Beanlehk Aoa . Piercing Eye. All the functionality of his old eye, with the added benefit of being able to see through lower level illusion spells. It still didn't quite give the intimidating aura he'd hoped for- he supposed he would have to let his actions speak for themselves.

But at that moment, his ruminations were interrupted by a knock at his door. "Hang on," he called, and opened the door. Beyond stood a man, slightly shorter than him, with a thin, gaunt face and grey hair that had receded far up his scalp. Konstantin recognized the man: Professor Yulius, the main lecturer for the academy. However, the professor wasn't normally flanked by guards from the city garrison.

"Stolas Konstantin Durnehviir," Professor Yulius said. "The dean wishes to speak with you." From his tone and the presence of the guards, it was clear that refusing wasn't an option. So, with a guard on each side, and the professor following behind, Konstantin was escorted to the dean's office.

Ever since first arriving at the academy, a single word came to mind whenever Konstantin thought of the dean. And that word was "egg." Everything about the dean reminded him of an egg- he had an egg-shaped head, that sat atop an egg-shaped body- he was even bald, furthering his resemblance to an egg.

"Mr. Durnehviir," the dean said. "Thank you for coming. Some of the staff insisted that you may require an escort from the city watch. I'm glad you proved their fears to be unfounded."

Judging by his tone, the dean didn't sound very glad. "Professor Yulius said you wanted to see me," Konstantin said.

"We're here to discuss your actions during your most recent practical." The dean leaned forward, a hand resting on his desk. "You used an excessive degree of force on your opponent, Mr. Feyrbrand, causing highly debilitating injuries. Even with the most skilled doctors tending to him, he'll likely never fully recover."

Of course. It was about Rudolf. Though he hadn't said it, the dean wasn't angry with Konstantin for attacking Rudolf while he was incapacitated. He was angry because Konstantin had attacked a social superior. Rudolf was a noble- a marquess specifically. Konstantin was a noble as well, but one of much lower standing, a baronet. The lowest rank that could still be considered part of the nobility, in fact, though there were plenty who saw him as just another peasant.

The dean was one of them. And Konstantin knew it.

Before Konstantin could stop himself, a question left his mouth. "Sir, if mine and Ruldof's position had been reversed, would he be standing where I am right now?"

The dean's face and tone were stern. "We aren't here to discuss hypotheticals, Mr. Durnehviir. We're here to discuss your actions."

Still, Konstantin argued. "According to the regulations, a practical duel between students only ends when one of the participants yields, or an instructor's intervention becomes necessary. And Rudolf didn't yield, even after I burned half his face off. And did you forget, he sliced out one of my eyes."

The dean was unconvinced, eyeing Konstantin suspiciously, focusing in particular on his left eye. "And yet you don't seem particularly inconvenienced by that." The dean finally leaned back. "In any case, in light of your conduct, the faculty and I have come to a decision: As of this morning, you are no longer a student of this academy. You are to gather all of your personal belongings from your dormitory and vacate the grounds at once."

Konstantin tensed. There was a fair distance between him and the dean, and the dean's desk was between them. Still, he was certain he could reach across it after casting Ignite and-

"I would think very carefully about your next actions, Mr. Durnehviir," the dean said, eyebrows furrowed in disgust as if he could read Konstantin's mind. Which may very well have been the case. "By all rights, you should be sitting in a prison cell for what you did to Mr. Feyrbrand. Be thankful that expulsion is the extent of the disciplinary action against you. It's more merciful than what someone in your position deserves."

Konstantin gritted his teeth, before he turned and left the office, before he said or did anything he might regret. He didn't wait to be dismissed. He made his way back to his dorm room, an angry haze settling in his mind.

Two years. Two years of studying, of back-breaking work, of derision and humiliation. Of having to fight for every step up the ladder. Now, it was gone.

And it was because of Baphomet and his damned book.

Konstantin entered his room and tore open the black book, searching for a very particular spell. And as if the book could sense his desire, he found what he sought. Kyda. Gate. A spell that could open a portal connecting to any place he could visualize. And a particular place was already coming to mind.

Konstantin was no Hero. Nor did a Hero's blood flow in his veins. In all likelihood, what he was about to do would get him killed. But he would not stand by and be played for a fool. He held out his hand, and shouted, "Kyda!" A bloody red hole opened in the world. Beyond was the dark throne room, and without hesitation, he stepped through it.

The shrouded figure of Baphomet was seated on the massive throne in front of him. The beast leaned forward slightly as Konstantin neared. "You've returned," he said. "How fared your examination?"

But Konstantin didn't answer. Instead, he focused, holding out his hands toward the massive beast. "Dance in the wind: Air Thrust!"

Two blades of solid air shot from his palms. But the wind blades shattered halfway between Konstantin and the beast, as if they had been made of glass.

Baphomet tilted his head down at Konstantin, making it appear as if he were glaring. "You just made a very poor decision." He then held out his hand, and Konstantin was instantly toppled onto his stomach as a crushing invisible force pressed down on him.

But even with the force pressing down on him, Konstantin forced himself to draw in a breath, and he shouted, "Vundevo!" A chill embraced his body, as if he'd been wrapped in a blanket of freezing cold steel. But the pressure holding him down lessened, and he tried to stand.

But the cold embrace suddenly left him, and the pressure slammed him back onto his stomach. He felt… weak. As if someone had pulled a cork out of his body and all his strength had been drained away. "As if I would let my own power be used against me," the beast's rumbling voice said.

The pressure suddenly lifted. But Konstantin didn't rise. He couldn't. Several moments passed, but nothing seemed to happen. "…Why won't you just kill me and be done with it?" he finally asked.

"And why would I do that?" the beast asked in turn. "Do you think you're the first to fail in killing me?" Baphomet didn't sound angry. He sounded more… amused than anything else. "In any case, things unfolded just as I expected they would."

"What do you mean?" Konstantin still did not rise.

"Your academy had no intention of letting you stay. Even if you'd won your duel through other means, they would have found some other fault worthy of dismissal."

Konstantin tried to rise, but only succeeded in rolling himself onto his back. He stared up at the dark ceiling high above, wishing it would fall and crush him.

The beast continued. "Your homeland is a place bound in rigid chains. All who dwell within it must mind their place, and act according to their station. And if a supposed inferior is found to possess skills greater than those above them, they are quickly stamped out, so the highborn and their places of comfort remain unthreatened."

There was a great shifting- Baphomet must have risen to his feet. "But you will find no such restrictions with me. To those who would serve, I ask only two questions: are you strong, and will you obey. And those who answer yes to both will be rewarded. I know that you are strong, Stolas Konstantin Durnehviir, for all of your strength lies wholly within me. And I am the strongest of all. So I will only ask you one question." Thundering footfalls shook the ground beneath Konstantin as Baphomet spoke, before stopping, just beyond his field of view.

Then, Konstantin was asked, "Will you obey?"

The voice which asked this question very much did not belong to Baphomet. It was… a woman's voice.

The strength had finally returned to Konstantin's body. So he lifted himself up, looking to the source of the voice.

It was a girl with burgundy-colored hair, a pair of black horns sprouting from her temples.

A giant dark green toad with white spots, large enough to swallow a carriage, horse and all, leapt high into the air. Abel and the others scattered, but as it began to fall, Holly stumbled, and tripped over her own feet. Abel immediately stopped, his feet leaving the ground as his wings ignited. He flew back, picking Holly up off the ground as he passed. A moment later, the giant toad crashed into the ground belly-first, throwing up thick clouds of dust. Abel flew a short distance before stopping to set the mercenary on her feet and asking, "Are you alright?"

However, her answer was cut off when her foot was pulled out from beneath her, and she was dragged away, screaming. "Holly!" Abel chased after her; as the dust cleared, he saw the giant toad had wrapped its tongue around Holly's ankle. She'd driven the edge of her shield into the ground to stop herself, but it barely even slowed her down, merely leaving a deep gouge as the toad pulled her toward its open gullet.

Abel pointed a finger and focused. But before he could do anything, a flash of silver appeared in front of him. The beast stumbled back, before letting out a low, angry screech, blood leaking from its severed tongue. Roland stood ready, ponytail billowing a gleaming sword with gold inlaid in the blade in hand. It must have been his Relic: Durandal.

The toad lowered itself, as if preparing to launch itself at the prince. But before it could, there was a tremendous shaking in the ground, and the toad was struck from the side. The toad quickly righted itself, turning to face the new threat- a second giant toad, a fair bit larger than the first, and colored a mottled brown. The green toad let out a low screech- the brown toad responded with a deeper, throatier screech of its own, before again leaping toward the green toad, its feet leaving massive gouges in the soft earth.

Without hesitating, Roland sheathed his sword. "Let's retreat while they're distracted! Quickly!" He turned, picking up Holly and tossing her over his shoulder as he ran. After a moment, Abel sheathed his sword as well and followed after the prince.

This wasn't the first battle Abel and the others had fled from after setting out from Aglis, and he doubted it would be the last. Just as Raine had warned, the Eridania Plains were swarming with giant toads, ranging in size from as big as a horse to larger than a house. Fortunately, the toads were much more interested in defending their territory from competition than in chasing prey, letting Abel's group sneak by undetected… most of the time, anyway.

Eventually, Roland and Abel came to a stop. It seemed the toads had been too focused on each other to give chase. Setting Holly back on her feet, Roland asked, "Are you alright, miss? You aren't hurt, are you?"

"Gihh…" Holly had been slowly but surely becoming more at ease in Roland's company, but after being literally swept off her feet by the prince, it seemed she was back to having trouble finding her words.

"Hey, there they are!" a voice called. Abel looked, to see Raine and Lailah hurrying toward them. "So this is where you ended up," the witch said.

"Where are the others?" Roland asked.

"We're not sure," Lailah replied. "We lost track of them in that dust cloud. I hope they're alright…"

"As long as Prez and Madame didn't get separated from Psycho, I'm sure they'll be fine," Raine replied. Sure enough, only a few moments later, Seth and Claire approached, led by Fiann, who was splattered in mud and some kind of pale blue slime. The bard came up to Abel, and wrote [Those toads won't be a problem anymore.]

"Fiann, we're just trying to cross the plains," Abel replied. "You didn't have to kill them." Both Raine and Roland had advised that the group avoid fighting where possible while crossing the plains; the scent of blood would only agitate the toads and make them even more aggressive.

Fiann wrote a quick response: [One of them could have tracked you down after their fight. I couldn't give them that chance.]

Looking on, Raine sighed and said, "There's gotta be something we can do about that. I'm sick of always being left out of the loop."

Any further conversation was interrupted when Claire angrily said, "I have something I need to say," before marching up to Holly. As she glared down at the much smaller girl, the president asked, "What the hell happened back there?"

Holly stammered under Claire's withering gaze. "I-I… I'm, not sure-"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," the president snapped. "Tripping over your own feet? What kind of mercenary are you? And it's not even the first time, either. Frankly, I don't understand why that degenerate keeps you around." Her eyes then drifted to Holly's chest. "…well, that's not true. I can think of at least two reasons…"

Seth stepped forward, trying to pull Claire back. "Alright, that's enough. You leave her alone."

But Claire pulled herself out of the thief's grasp. "I will not be ordered around. Least of all by criminal filth like you… Miss Bell Vargo."

Seth jolted slightly, as if surprised, but tried not to let it show in her face. "You know who I am?"

Claire scoffed, folding her arms under her breasts. "Of course I do. One of the Guild's lesser known responsibilities is to monitor the progress of Heroes on their quest to slay the Overlord on behalf of the Church. We know where they've been, who they're traveling with… we can even predict their destination with eighty-five percent accuracy." Her gaze shifted to Abel. "A master thief, and a warrior who assaulted the members of Wyvern Company and nearly killed one of their members… I must say, degenerate, you keep rather poor company."

Fiann reached for her axe. But Seth then said coolly, "So. You knew exactly who Abel was. And you most likely knew why he came to Aglis. But knowing that, you still knowingly chose to interfere with his mission." The thief folded her arms over her chest in a mirror of Claire. "I'm sure the Church would be very interested in learning about that."

Claire stepped right in front of the thief, glaring down at her in openfury. "Don't you fucking dare try to threaten me, Bell."

Undaunted, Seth folded her arms over her chest and returned the president's glare. "Keep calling me that name, and I'll do more than threaten you."

At that moment, Lailah spoke up: "Alright that's enough! I don't want to hear a word out of either of you until we're out of the breeding grounds."

"What?" Seth said.

At the same time, Claire said, "You have no right to-"

But the priestess interrupted both with a steely tone. "Somebody has to act like an adult here, and clearly, neither of you are willing to do that. So I'll do it for you." She took several breaths to collect herself. "…now, how much further until we're out of the breeding grounds?"

"We… shouldn't be too far off, Sister," Roland replied. "If we move at a decent pace, we should be clear by sunset. Perhaps a little after."

"Good." Lailah hung the spear in a leather sling hanging across her back. "Let's keep going."

Just as Roland predicted, the damp, marshy grassland that marked the giant toads' breeding grounds gave way to more solid earth just a few minutes after sunset. Even so, the prince poured a bottle full of brown, foul-smelling liquid around the perimeter of their camp- a monster repellant- just in case any outliers were in the area. The night air was filled with chirps, croaks, trills, and various other calls, but for the first time in over a week, the ground didn't tremble, and the sounds very clearly came from the south, rather than surrounding the camp on all sides.

With their camp erected, Abel and the others sat around the fire as Roland prepared their dinner: a soup made from dried bread and salted meats. It was decently filling and the taste was alright- if a bit watery- but after having it for several days in a row, Abel wished they had something else on the menu.

As she sat next to the fire, Claire muttered to herself, "How can these people live like this? My goddamn fucking feet feel like they're about to snap off."

"I have to admit, Prince Roland, I'm surprised," Seth said. "I didn't think you'd know how to cook."

"There are many skills a Crusader must learn aside from fighting," the prince replied. "One of the most important is the ability to forage and prepare their own meals in the field." He looked up from the pot over the fire, to the south. "Our supplies should last for our entire excursion, but should we need to hunt, we certainly won't be hurting for game thanks to the toads' breeding season."

Lailah looked up from her bowl in surprise. "Wait, you actually eat toads? I've heard stories that people in Mavors did, but I always thought it was just a myth."

"It's the legs, mainly," the prince replied, though he didn't deny the priestess's question. "In my experience, the taste is most comparable to duck meat, though the texture is quite different. I understand some find the dissonance rather off-putting."

"Ugh, don't remind me," Claire complained. "I never understood how Laura could eat those things."

"Well…" Raine began, an odd tone in her voice. "If it's meat you're interested in, I could find a few samples you might like, Prez." The witch waggled her eyebrows at the president.

Claire scowled in a mixture of both disgust and disappointment. "…And to think, there was a point where I wanted to get to know you better," she finally said. Abel had noticed several times that, whenever monsters weren't in the immediate area, the president's eyes seemed to drift toward Raine. He supposed that now, he knew why. "You're almost worse than the degenerate," the president continued, gaze shifting to Abel. "At least he keeps his mouth shut."

Raine briefly mumbled to herself, "I swear, nobody around here knows how to take a joke…" before she sighed and turned her attention to Abel. "Alright Blue, come over here for a minute. It's time."

"Already?" he asked. "It's kind of early, isn't it?" Shortly after departing Aglis, Raine took it upon herself to educate Abel about the Ermisian Civil War, the conflict which brought the Promestein family to prominence. It was her hope that by giving context to the actions of its founding members, Abel would better understand why the family was held in such high esteem.

"We're almost at the end," the witch replied, "so I wanna wrap things up tonight." She then rubbed her chin. "Now, where did we leave off…?"

In the year 533, Karlo II, Emperor of Ermis, died unexpectedly from a sudden illness. He died without an heir, and his siblings had died before him, without heirs of their own. Such a situation had never happened in the history of the empire, and the government scrambled to determine who the throne should pass to. After extensive review of Karlo's lineage, several government ministers concluded that the throne should pass to Diedrick of Gainsborough, Karlo's uncle and king of Neruda, one of Ermis's constituent kingdoms. These ministers argued that Diedrick's succession was in accordance with imperial law- which was untrue, as such a law had yet to be codified.

Soon after, a second group of ministers presented a young boy named Andreas to the imperial court, claiming him to be Karlo's illegitimate son. This second group argued that even if he was illegitimate, Andreas was Karlo's only known blood descendant, and thus the only candidate eligible to claim the throne. The imperial government was soon divided, but what started as a legislative dispute eventually erupted into open war when the lords of Ermis's different states began to pledge their support for one candidate or the other.

From the onset, Diedrick was at a disadvantage. Only a small handful of lords had rallied to support him, and what allies he did have could muster only a fraction of the men that Andreas's faction could field. But Diedrick was a military commander without peer, and through careful maneuvering and securing advantageous battlefield positions, he scored numerous victories, often against forces that were nearly twice or even three times the size of his own. After cutting a swath across Ermis, he eventually reached the nation's capital, and the seat of power for Andreas's faction: Kazas.

For two years, Diedrick intermittently laid siege to the city, leading the campaign from a small fortress at the foot of a nearby mountain. However, he was unable to breach Kazas's walls, and several times had to abandon the siege in order to defend his few allies. As the end of the year 535 approached, Diedrick's men were exhausted, and their morale dangerously low. Diedrick knew that if he couldn't capture Kazas before the onset of winter, the war would be lost.

But one day, a stranger came to Diedrick's camp: a man clad in heavy robes, his face obscured by a golden mask. The stranger introduced himself as Valerian E. Promestein, an alchemist, and claimed he had developed a weapon that could breach Kazas's defenses. Diedrick was skeptical, but Valerian promised to demonstrate, before advising the king and his men to leave the fortress. Intrigued though still doubtful, Diedrick and his men complied, and watched as Valerian set up a strange device, a weapon that he called a "cannon," then unknown to both Ermis and the world at large. Valerian then aimed the cannon at the fortress, and fired.

Valerian breached the fort's wall with a single shot.

Awed, Diedrick asked Valerian how many of these cannons he could make. The alchemist revealed that he had already manufactured a dozen of the weapons, and was more than willing to instruct Diedrick's men in their use. After several weeks of intensive training, Diedrick mounted one final assault on Kazas. And on the fourteenth day of the tenth month, Cassis, just as the first snowfall of the year came, Diedrick's forces breached the city walls, stormed the city, and seized Castle Black, the seat of power for Andreas's faction. The ministers who supported Andreas were put to death. Andreas himself, however, seemingly vanished, never to be seen again- some went so far as to question whether the supposed heir had ever existed at all. Although minor skirmishes would take place in the following years, with the aid of Valerian's black-powder cannons, Diedrick secured his position as Emperor of Ermis, and his descendants continue to occupy the throne to the present day.

As for Valerian, for his assistance in securing the throne, Emperor Diedrick promised to grant any boon the alchemist desired. But Valerian declined, wishing only to continue his alchemical research in peace. He remained in Kazas for several years, where he married a woman named Edelweiss, and began a family. But only a few months into the marriage, Edelweiss was struck by a terrible illness, and despite sparing no expense in her treatment, creating a cure proved beyond even Valerian's formidable talents. And in the year 539, Valerian's beloved, Edelweiss Promestein, died.

Following his wife's burial, Valerian would finally ask the Emperor to grant a boon: a place where he and his family could grieve for Edelweiss in private. Diedrick complied, bestowing upon the alchemist with an estate on the very fringes of the empire. "…after that," Raine said, "Valerian and his family left Kazas. And until the end of their days, he and Diedrick would never see each other in the flesh again."

Abel was silent for several moments, as he processed both the new segment of Raine's story, and those which had come before. "If that's true…" he finally asked, "how do we even know the family is still around? Something could've happened to them between now and then."

"Well, although Valerian and the Emperor never saw each other again in person, they did remain in contact," the witch explained. "Valerian regularly sent letters to both Diedrick and the Alchemist's Guild in Kazas. Even now, the current head of the family periodically writes letters to both the Guild and Diedrick's descendants. On top of that, every so often, a promising alchemist is invited to the Promestein estate to study under the family head. The process is incredibly rigorous, but those who meet the Promesteins' expectations are formally adopted into the family, and earn the right to bear the family name."

"Like Amber?" Abel asked.

Raine nodded. "Exactly."

"This is the first I've heard of this," Claire said, eyes narrowed at Raine.

"It's not common, but not entirely unheard of for noble families in Ermis to adopt commoners with exceptional talent into their houses," Roland replied. "Though the practice is more common in the empire's western reaches, where Valerian is believed to have originated."

"Plus, thanks to their reputation, the Promesteins set a pretty high bar," Raine added. "Only about five people have been adopted into the family that way, and years can pass before they find a candidate they deem suitable. I think the gap between Amber and the last person they adopted was around a hundred years."

"These Promesteins don't seem like you're typical nobles," Seth said. Although he said nothing, Abel was in agreement- he hadn't known Amber long enough to get a good feel for her character, but she didn't seem anything like the nobles he'd met so far. Certainly nothing like Claire. …Or Kamash Vargo.

"I suppose it would take a special sort to craft a weapon which single-handedly changed the nature of warfare," Roland said. "But, we should save our speculations for another time. It's late, and we still have quite a ways ahead of us."

When the group awoke the next morning, the sky was blanketed by a thick layer of dark grey clouds. There was little doubt- a storm was coming.

Still, even in the face of the inclement weather, the group packed up their camp and set out. Based on measurements taken from Abel's amulet, Raine placed the Promestein estate close to a village near the border with Ermis, a place named Grissom Hill. Nobody had heard of it- even Roland, who was acquainted with some of the most remote regions in Mavors, had never visited. Fortunately, now that the group was finally past the giant toads' breeding ground, travel would be much easier. Barring encounters with any outliers or other monsters, Raine predicted they would reach the village by sunset at the latest- if they hurried, she insisted, they might even arrive before the storm.

So, the group moved quickly, following a small, nearly invisible road. Surrounding them were gently rolling hills, resembling ocean waves frozen in place, occasionally topped by the odd tree or two. The sun filtering through the blanket of clouds painted everything in muted shades, giving their surroundings a dull, listless feel. And unlike the days before, no one spoke- the only sound was the wind as it rustled through the grass, their footsteps, and an occasional rattle as something inside their packs was jostled. And with nothing on the outside to engage him, Abel's thoughts turned inward.

To his encounter with Zoyin.

To Abel's credit, he didn't dwell on not seeing through her ruse sooner… or at least, he didn't dwell on it as long as he had before. But he did dwell on his lack of action immediately after Zoyin had revealed her true nature. He'd left himself completely exposed- if she'd decided to target him after Erica, Abel would almost certainly have been killed. Not to mention, if he'd been perhaps a few moments faster, then maybe… Something bothered him, though: if Zoyin had been a monster, why had it taken the Guild so long to find her? Then again, the pale woman had mentioned some sort of "shielding;" no doubt meant to hide her from the magic circle's miasma-detecting ability. And thinking of the circle made him curious. Did all cities with a Mage's Guild branch have such a magic circle? Abel didn't know.

But there was a person in his company at that very moment that might.

"Claire?" he began. "Your secretary mentioned that Aglis is built on a magic circle that can detect monster miasma. Is that something other cities have too?"

But, Claire didn't answer. In fact, the president gave no indication that she had heard his question at all.

So Abel asked, a bit more cautiously, "Uh… Claire?"

The president didn't turn back to look at him. But she did respond. "Firstly, degenerate, you will address me as either 'Madame President' or 'Miss Meltrose.' As I said before, you and I are not friends." She glanced back with a look of disgust on her face. "And secondly, though my honor requires that I accompany you until my debt is repaid, I am under no obligation to follow any of your commands, nor answer any of your questions." She turned away. "If your question is truly so pressing, I'm sure you'll find a means to answer it. Might I suggest a few books on history? I hear they have a wealth of information… assuming you're capable of reading, that is."

Abel said nothing. That… went more or less exactly how he expected it would. Since leaving Aglis, Claire had refused to answer any of Abel's questions, or speak to him at all beyond what she felt was absolutely necessary. Judging from how her face twitched, she was probably doing everything in her power to keep from dissolving into another obscenity-laced stream of insults, only restraining herself due to the presence of others.

Fiann looked back, shooting Claire a withering, hateful glare. At least Seth held her tongue this time.

Raine stepped out of her place in their column, hurrying to catch up to Abel. Once she was alongside him, she said, "Don't sweat it, Blue. I'm sure she'll warm up to you eventually."

To his surprise, Roland also stepped out his place near the front of the column, before falling in behind Abel and Raine. "I'm no expert, but I do have some knowledge on the subject," he said. "Obviously, the magic circle Aglis is built upon is of great interest, not only to the Guild, but to the Church and much of the civilized world as well. However, despite the efforts of the world's greatest minds, no one has ever successfully created a magic circle with similar capabilities."

"Well someone had to have made it, right?" Abel replied.

"The earliest mention of the circle come from the Cybelians who conquered what would later become Mavors. But according to their reports, the circle was already present when their ships landed on the shore. And when they questioned the native population, they claimed the circle had been there when they first settled the region. The Cybelians sent numerous scholars to study the circle, and while they discovered its properties, they were unable to replicate it. Nor did they ever learn who had made the circles, or why."

"I've read that before humans came, most of Mavors was inhabited by the elves," Seth said. It seemed she'd been listening in on the conversation- not difficult, as she was directly behind Roland. "Could they be responsible?"

"That is the most common hypothesis," the prince replied. "It's also possible that a different race- one unknown to scholars- were responsible, and that the circle's secrets were lost when-"

There was a tremendous boom from the sky. Looking back, to the south, Abel could see a massive grey curtain rapidly approaching, swiftly crossing the plain's rolling hills. "Ah, damn it…" Raine grumbled. "Thought we'd have more of a head start."

In a matter of moments, a wall of freezing rain swept over Abel's group, thoroughly drenching them and covering the countryside in a dull haze. Still, Abel and the others trudged onward- the few trees would provide no shelter from the rain, and trying to set up camp to wait out the storm would only drench all of their supplies. Abel hoped his jacket would keep him warm, but it seemed its protective abilities were limited only to monsters- the rain quickly soaked through it, leaving him cold and shivering.

After some time- it was difficult to say just how long- and Abel was contemplating dousing himself in a quick burst of Angel Fire to keep warm, he heard Claire call out, "Hey, what are you doing?" Abel looked to the front of their column in curiosity. Fiann had come to an abrupt halt, standing completely still as she ignored Claire's protests, her eyes fixed on… something ahead. Abel didn't see anything that would have given pause, but evidently, the bard could, as she swiftly moved ahead, quickly disappearing into the fog.

"Hey, Fiann!" Abel shouted as he chased after her. "Don't run off on your own!" The only thing he could think of that would garner that sort of reaction was a monster, or some other threat close by. But as strong as Fiann was, if something was lurking in the mist, it would be very easy for it to take her by surprise. So, he drew his sword and followed the bard through the fog, her shadowed form just barely visible head, looking and listening for any sign of a hidden enemy about to strike.

But very quickly, what Fiann saw came into view. And it was not a monster, or group of bandits laying in wait. Rising above the haze, Abel could see a small hill. And upon the hill was a large, rectangular house with two floors, capped by a sloped roof of dark tiles. Fiann stood at the foot of the hill, before turning back to smile at Abel. She didn't write any messages in her journal, presumably so the rain wouldn't ruin it.

There was a sloshing as someone trudged up the muddy road behind Abel. Lailah began to say, "Abel, why did…" before trailing off, as her gaze turned to the hill. "Is that… a manor?"

There was more sloshing as the rest of the group caught up. "Hey look! Psycho found us some shelter!" Raine said, and began climbing up the hill. "Let's get inside and wait out this storm!"

"Hold on, Raine!" Holly said. "We can't just barge into someone's home uninvited!"

"I don't think anyone's here to complain, Jugs," the witch replied. Indeed, the house's windows were dark, and no movement could be seen behind them. She then started up the hill again. "Besides, this looks like a noble's estate. If someone is home, and they turn away a prince of Mavors and his entourage, it'd be an unforgivable slight."

So, Abel and the others followed Raine up the hill. As they drew closer, the details of the house became clearer, though in truth, there wasn't much to see- flat walls of light wood, broken by tall, narrow windows of multi-paned glass at regular intervals. The front of the house was hardly any more elaborate- the only difference was a small set of red brick steps leading up to a set of nearly-black wooden double doors, covered by a small awning. A large, dead tree, hidden from the backside, stood near the house, its bare branches reaching into the sky like a skeletal hand with too many fingers. Both Claire and Roland remarked that the house deviated significantly from the architecture common in Mavors- austere, and lacking in any ornamentation. Lailah speculated the manor could be abandoned, but all the windows were intact, the lock on the front doors was still firmly shut, and there were no other signs of damage or degradation. If the house was abandoned, it hadn't stood empty for long.

The manor's front door creaked loudly as it swung open. Seth quickly stepped inside, pocketing the long, thin wires she'd used to pick the lock. "There we are," the thief said. "A little more complex than my usual fare, but nothing I can't handle."

"I feel I should say something about that…" Roland began. "But for now, I'll save it until everyone's dried off and warmed up." He took the tabard hanging over his breastplate into his hands and twisted it, wringing out the rainwater.

"Dammit…" Claire muttered, tugging at her collar. "I just had this uniform custom-made, too. All this water better not shrink it…"

Abel looked around briefly. The manor's entranceway was rather small, with a single door on the left and right. Directly across from the entrance was a staircase- it led up to a small landing, before splitting to the left and right as it continued to the upper floor. "It's strange," he said. "Finding a house this big out in the middle of nowhere."

"It's not unusual for nobles or other wealthy individuals to build retreats deep in the countryside," the prince replied. "I've chanced upon more than a few in my own travels. And my father's own private estate is more than-"

"Abel," Seth called. "You might want to have a look at this." The thief had climbed up to the landing on the stairs, looking at a section of the wall that was covered in portraits. Abel climbed the stairs for a better look- the people in the portraits were strangers to him, and if there was some pattern to their placement, he couldn't determine what it was. And at the very center of the collection was a portrait much larger than the rest. This portrait depicted a man in a dark, heavy coat, his head concealed by a golden mask, shaped to resemble a bald, gaunt man with a stern expression.

There was one other way the portrait of the dark man differed from the others: there was a bronze plaque at the bottom of the frame. Abel read the inscription on the plaque aloud: "'Valerian E. Promestein.'"

"Well, would you look at that," Raine said, after climbing up to read the inscription for herself. "The mythical Promestein estate…" She looked around at the small foyer. "…I don't know why, but I thought it would be bigger."

"Sure, we might have found it…" Claire began, "but it doesn't look like anyone lives here."

"No…" Roland said. "Look closer. There's hardly a speck of dust anywhere."

The prince was right, Abel realized. Although dark, the foyer was free of dust, dirt, and cobwebs. The only untidiness was what he and his companions had brought in with them.

"Maybe the master stepped out for a bit?" Holly suggested.

Claire looked back, through the still open front door- the rain was coming down even harder than before, falling in sheets that resembled a curtain rippling in the wind. "In this weather?" she said, a touch of incredulity in her voice.

"Let's have a look around, then," Lailah replied. "If nothing else, I'd like to find a fireplace to warm up next to."

"We should split up to cover more ground," Raine said, before pointing to the left. "Blue, let's check that half of the upper floor."

"Split up?" Seth asked. "Is that a good idea?"

"This place isn't that big. Just give a shout if you find something."

At that moment, there was a loud creak from the ceiling. Seth visibly flinched, and she said, "Please tell me those were just old house noises," with an odd expression on her face- it reminded Abel of how she looked when she was motion sick.

Raine tilted her head as she looked down toward Seth. "What, you scared of ghosts or something?"

"Of course not!" the thief snapped back. "How childish do you-" The ceiling creaked loudly again, causing Seth to flinch again.

Raine looked decidedly unimpressed. "…Right. Well, you can stay here and watch the door for us, Madame. Leave the rest of the house to us. Let's go, Blue." Without waiting for a reply, she climbed the stairs and stepped through the door on the upper landing.

He stepped into a long hallway, narrow and dark, lined by numerous doors but no windows. "Hey, Raine? You were just kidding about the ghost thing, right? Ghosts aren't… real, are they?"

Raine peered into one of the rooms, replying, "Oh no, ghosts are very real. And pretty dangerous, actually- they constantly drain the life force of things around them, and you need special weapons and magic spells to hurt them." She closed the door, before looking at Abel expectantly. "…Well? Are you gonna help, or leave me to do all the work?"

"Uh, sorry," he stammered, before turning to the door directly behind him and peering inside.

Like the foyer, the bedroom was dark, but clean. But, at the same time, it was clear that it was unoccupied, and likely had been for some time- the mattress and pillows were stiff, and after stepping inside to check the cabinets and drawers, he found all were empty.

After checking three identical rooms, Abel looked back. Raine was peering into the door across from his- from what little of the room he could see, it looked to be yet another bedroom. "Did you find anything?" he asked.

Raine shut the door firmly. "Not yet."

Abel looked down the hallway- there were only two doors left, and in all likelihood, they were just more bedrooms. "Maybe Holly was right," he said. "Maybe the family head isn't here."

"I don't think so." Raine looked around. "Someone's definitely been looking after this place."

"They could have left a servant behind to watch the place while they were gone," Abel argued.

"Well, I guess that's true, but-"

A piercing scream rang out from somewhere on the second floor. Abel didn't wait for Raine to say anything- he ran back down the hallway, down- then up- the staircase, and down another hall to a partially open door. He threw the door open- beyond was a room with a wooden floor, filled with shelves laden with books. He went deeper into the room, searching between the shelves. And within moments, he found Holly, sprawled on the floor between two shelves.

In an instant, Abel hurried over to her, picking her up in his arms. "Holly!" he shouted. But there was no answer. "Holly!" Still no answer.

Holly's eyes were rolled back, foam around her mouth. She was twitching, so she was alive, and she didn't seem to be wounded, but… "Holly! Holly, what happened!?" Even with Abel practically yelling in her face, she wouldn't snap out of it.

"What's wrong with her?" Raine asked. She was on edge, gripping the handle of her baton tightly. Before Abel could reply, the house shook as a deafening clap of thunder boomed outside. Lightning flashed, revealing a long, slender shadow stretching across the floor toward them. Abel followed it to its source.

Standing between two bookcases, framed by a large window, was a pale woman. She wore a dark green jacket with a white shirt underneath, and a dark green skirt that reached her ankles, a white apron tied around her waist. Abel couldn't help but be reminded of Zoyin- the woman's skin and hair, pulled into two tight spirals resting on her shoulders, were a pale white, as if she were a statue brought to life. But what stood out to him the most was the sword in her hand- double-edged and without a point, as if made solely for cutting. It was long, too- nearly as long as Abel was tall, if he had to guess- yet she held it steadily in one hand, as if it weighed nothing.

Raine drew her baton- it lengthened in her hand, becoming as long as a short sword. "Who are you?"

The woman took a step toward them. Raine stood her ground- Abel reflexively tried to pull Holly back, but she was too heavy for him to move. Where had the woman come from, he wondered. He'd looked down that aisle between the bookshelves, and she definitely hadn't been there a few moments prior. "You are quite bold," she said, in a voice that was both as cold as ice and as hard as steel, "to invade another's home and make demands of them." She pointed her blunted sword at them- it didn't quite reach them, but it would with just a few steps.

"What did you do to our friend!?" Raine demanded.

"Raine, wait!" Abel said. It was clear to Abel that the woman was strong, and provoking her was the last thing he wanted to do- even with Raine's help and his powers, he wasn't confident they could win a straight fight.

"I didn't injure her, if that's what you're asking," the woman replied. "I can't promise that she'll stay unharmed, however."

There was a flurry of steps, and Fiann rushed past, striking at the woman. But the pale woman quickly turned her massive blade in her hands, gripping the crossguard, and brought it up to block Fiann's strike. Undaunted, the bard swung her axe again, and again- the woman barely seemed to move, yet she managed to turn away every one of Fiann's swings. But at the same time, the pale woman didn't strike back- it may have been that Fiann was too close, or that her sword was too unwieldy in the confined space to be effective.

Fiann's expression grew more and more furious, and her strikes came faster and faster, sparks flying every time her axe struck the woman's sword. But the pale woman's expression was just as flat and impassive as it had been when she first appeared. But all of a sudden, she pulled her sword back, and caught Fiann's axe by the blade mid-swing. The floorboards beneath the pale woman's feet audibly groaned as the force traveled through her body… but she remained on her feet. She didn't even stumble. Fiann strained, though whether it was to pull her axe free or press it further forward, Abel couldn't say. But either way, she couldn't break free of the pale woman's grasp. "This collection has rare books that cannot be found anywhere else," the woman said in her steely voice. "I will not allow you to damage them."

Abel had been staring in stunned silence, but Raine stepped forward. "Come on, Abel, we gotta help Psycho!"

"But what about Holly?" he asked. The mercenary still hadn't come to.

"If we don't do something, Jugs won't be the only one in trouble. Now get in there- I'll try to sneak around and get behind…"

Then, Abel heard the sound of something rolling across the wooden floor. A glass bottle was rolling toward them, filled with a swirling red substance, coming to a stop when it hit Raine's foot. Then, the bottle suddenly exploded, showering Abel and the witch with shards of glass and sending out a rapidly-expanding cloud of red smoke.

"Shit!" Raine shouted. "Try not to breathe in the smoke!"

But the red smoke rapidly filled the room, swallowing Abel and the others. As soon as Abel breathed it in, he felt himself go numb, and he collapsed to the floor. Raine slumped to the ground as well, as did Fiann, though only after several moments.

It was then that Abel heard the floor creak as someone approached. Because of how he'd fallen, he couldn't see the figure, but he could hear them, and feel the impact of their footsteps on the wooden floor. And, he heard the newcomer say… something as they approached. Abel had no idea what- even his angel's blood couldn't interpret the stranger's words. The voice was heavily muffled- just from the sound, it could belong to a girl, but he had no way to be sure.

But the pale woman apparently did understand. And what's more, it seems she was entirely unaffected by the strange red smoke, as she replied, "I'm unharmed." The newcomer made a very lengthy comment. Abel couldn't make sense of it, but again, the pale woman seemingly had no trouble. "I see."

"Hang on, Abel," Niel said in Abel's head. "Just give me…" The feeling returned to Abel's limbs. "There!" In an instant, Abel sprung to his feet, drawing his blade. The red cloud hadn't fully dispersed, but it had cleared enough that he could see the pale woman, still standing over a collapsed Fiann. There was someone else as well- it must have been the owner of the strange, muffled voice.

The figure wore a dark padded suit, one that covered almost their whole body save the head. With a hand covered by a thick leather glove, they aimed a strange weapon at Abel- it looked almost identical to the miniature cannon Amber had used. The figure's hair was short and wavy, colored a pale lavender. But their face… Abel understood why he couldn't understand the figure's words.

It was because… the figure had no face.

…That wasn't entirely true- it wasn't that the figure had blank skin where their face should have been, but their features couldn't be considered "human" in any capacity. In place of eyes were two dark circles, flat, reflecting the room faintly as if they were made of glass. The figure had no nose or mouth, but instead a strange brown shell with holes in the sides where a nose and mouth would have been on a normal person.

The figure looked Abel over, and again said something indecipherable.

"Master Violet, might I suggest removing your mask?" the pale woman said. "I'm afraid our guests are not as versed in interpreting your muffled speech as I am."

Once again, the figure said something, before reaching up, and… pulling her strange features aside. The figure was a girl- a pretty one at that, with small, but sharp features, and wide eyes colored a deep wine-red. The skin of her face was pale- not the marble-white of the pale woman, but it was clear she hadn't spent a lot of time in the sun.

A mask. For a moment, Abel was baffled- he'd never seen such a strange mask before. But then again, she walked through that cloud of red smoke without being affected in the slightest- it must have protected her in some way.

"Remarkable…" the red-eyed girl said. "I synthesized that paralytic from imported girtablilu venom extract. Its effects should last for several hours. But you recovered in only a few minutes."

"He can't take all the credit," Niel said out loud, before emerging from within Abel. "Now, why don't we settle this, two on two?" Two balls of white fire ignited in her hands. It likely didn't look threatening, but Abel knew those small flames were deadlier than they looked.

"An angel…" The red-eyed girl lowered her weapon. "It looks like you were correct, Minze."

Abel tensed- the woman had lowered her guard, but it could easily have been a feint. And "Minze…" that must have been the pale woman's name. "And what was she right about?" he asked.

But Abel was surprised when the girl not only asked a question of her own, but by what her question was: "You are Sir Abel, are you not? And the angel… her name is Niel?"

Abel's guard slipped. It would have been a fatal mistake if either of the strange women chose that moment to attack… but they didn't. "How do you know about me?" Niel demanded. Someone Abel had never met knowing his name still felt strange to him, but it made sense- he was a Hero after all, and word of his actions would inevitably spread. But very few would know about Niel.

"Amber told us about the both of you," the pale woman- Minze- replied. "It seems you left quite an impression on her, Sir Abel."

Abel finally lowered his guard entirely, as he pieced together just who was standing in front of him. Niel seemingly came to the same realization, as she settled on his shoulder, the fires in her hands going out. "Then… you must be-"

A groan sounded. Despite the strain in her voice, Abel still recognized it. "Ehh… Abel?" Raine asked weakly. "Little help?"

The pale woman's gaze shifted to the sprawled-out witch. "We should gather everyone together before making introductions." Abel and the red-eyed girl revived Fiann, Raine, and Holly- Abel with magic, and the girl with a green-colored smoke. The bard and the witch quickly sprang back to their feet, weapons ready, and it was only with the utmost reluctance that they stayed their hand after Abel explained himself. The others were scattered throughout the house- it seemed that Violet had incapacitated the others using the same strange red smoke. Like Raine and Fiann, they were ready to continue the fight, only holding back at Abel's insistence.

Finally, once everyone had been tended to, the pale woman led the group to a room on the lower level. The room was narrow, and dominated by a long wooden table, bare save for a few candlestick holders and single plate at the head. Behind the table, framed by two windows, was another large portrait- this one depicted a seated woman in a green dress, with red eyes, and long lavender-colored hair. This one had a plaque, but from where Abel had been seated, it was too far away for him to read.

"First, please allow me to apologize for your reception on my master's behalf," the pale woman said. "As you may have surmised, we aren't accustomed to hosting guests."

"I suppose we owe you an apology as well," Roland replied. "For intruding into your home uninvited. I am Roland, Knight Crusader and second prince of the Kingdom of Mavors." His attention focused on the red-eyed girl. "Am I correct in assuming you are the Promestein family's head?"

"I am," she replied. "My name is Violet. Violet Jasmine Promestein. And this is my stewardess, Minze." Violet leaned forward, an elbow resting on the table. "So, what brings all of you to my family's estate? And… how did you find it, precisely? Grandfather Valerian went through great pains to ensure he would not be disturbed."

"The Church gave me a Relic that helps me find things I'm looking for," Abel replied. "As for why we're here… we have a problem only a master alchemist can solve."

Minze's gaze fell upon Abel, her expression cold. "Could you not have brought your matter to the Alchemist's Guild?" she asked. She'd hung her massive sword on a rack in one of the other rooms, but its absence did little to diminish her intimidating aura.

"Local apothecaries were unable to identify the material, and the Alchemist's Guild has little presence in Mavors," Claire answered. "Samples were sent, but it will take time for them to arrive, much less be fully analyzed. And the matter is urgent."

Minze appeared to be about to say something else, but Violet interrupted. "Show it to me."

The prince took out the vial of Zoyin's blood and handed it to Violet. As the red-eyes girl held the vial up to examine it, Roland began, "If I may, I've read about the existence of a liquid metal that exhibits unusual properties. I believe it was called-"

"This material is not djezet," Violet suddenly said. "Neither is it a djezet compound or derivative." She rolled the vial between her fingers. "Firstly, it is far too light. A sample of djezet this size would be about three times heavier than this material. Secondly, the color is entirely wrong- djezet is a much darker red, closer to rust in coloration. Lastly, although djezet is reflective when sufficiently purified, it does not produce a glow." Violet then set the vial down. "I actually have a djezet sample I distilled not long ago if you would like to compare them. Give me just a…" She began searching the numerous pouches on her belt. "Oh, I know I had it here somewhere…"

As the young alchemist rummaged through her pockets, Holly asked, "Um, well, if it's not dj- zhes… that stuff Prince Roland thought it was, what is it then?"

Violet gave up her search, replying, "I must admit, I am not entirely sure. I have not seen anything of its like before."

That didn't bode well. But Minze then leaned in close to Violet, and said, "Miss Violet, I believe I may know what this substance might be." The maid leaned in even closer, and said in a low voice, in a language much different from the one she'd spoken in with Abel and the others, "Mileĭdi, vyarvam, che tova veshtestvo mozhe da e… rubedo." But despite having never heard that language before, Abel understood what the maid had said perfectly: My Lady, I believe that substance may be… rubedo .

Violet's eyes widened, and she glanced at her maid. "Minze, tova e nevŭzmozhno. Znaniyata za tova kak da se napravi rubedo sa bili premŭlchavani otpredi vremeto na Dyado Valerian. Dori toĭ ne znaeshe kak da go napravi."

Minze, that's impossible. Knowledge of how to make rubedo has been suppressed since before Grandfather Valerian's time. Even he didn't know how it was made.

Before Violet and Minze could discuss things further, Abel asked, "What's… rubedo? And… why would knowledge about how to make it be suppressed?"

Violet looked at Abel in surprise. But Minze's gaze was cold and stern, her head canted to the side ever so slightly. "It's rare to meet someone familiar with Eminescan this far east. Are you local, perhaps? Your skin tone suggests you would hail from the southern region, near the border with Cybele."

"It's not that," he replied quickly. "A while ago, I almost died. I survived because Niel gave me some of her blood. Her blood gave me… special powers. It lets me understand any language I hear, or read."

"Amber did mention that in her letter," Violet said, as she looked up at her maid.

"If you have knowledge, then I ask that you share it," the prince said. "The safety of the kingdom may well depend on what you know."

For several moments, both Violet and Minze were silent. From their expressions, it seemed they were debating whether they should share what they knew. And eventually, the maid came to a decision. "Rubedo," she finally began, "is an alchemical catalyst, created by extracting the life force of living beings."

A profound silence settled in the room- even the rain outside seemed to come to a sudden stop. It was something that came up quite a bit in Leah's stories to Mordecai: weapons or spells that were fueled by human souls. He'd always thought that such things were confined only to the stories Leah told Mordecai… but then, he once thought the same thing about magic, and Heroes and the Overlord as well.

"Only select branches of the Alchemist's Guild are allowed to keep samples of rubedo for study," Violet continued. "And even then, only in very limited quantities. For anyone else, the mere act of owning it is illegal- the assumption is that the possessor would have had to murder someone to acquire more than a few drops."

"Indeed." Minze looked at Abel, visibly tense, eyes narrowed. "…how did you acquire this sample?"

Abel told of his encounter with Zoyin in Aglis. How she was far stronger than someone of her appearance should have been, how she showed no reaction to any injury… and how even after having her head cut off, she was still alive. Throughout his story, the maid's expression remained stern. And when he'd finally finished, she remained silent.

"Trust me, I wouldn't believe any of it either if I hadn't seen it for myself," Claire said to finally break the uncomfortable silence. "But we have numerous other witnesses who saw these events with their own eyes. And the head was turned over to the Aglis chapter of the Inquisition for interrogation. It's likely still in their custody. On my honor as the President of the Aglis Mage's Guild, everything he told you is true."

"I'm certain all of that information can be verified," Minze replied. "What I find most unbelievable… is the quantity of rubedo you claim to have recovered." The maid looked at the vial as she held it between her fingers. "You must understand- the extraction of rubedo is a very low-yield process. Even this small sample likely cost the lives of at least two people, perhaps more. And this creature you encountered… you claim it had enough rubedo to fill its veins entirely. I hope you can appreciate how many lives would be necessary to provide that much."

It was a sobering thought.

"For something that's been outlawed, you seem to know quite a bit about this 'rubedo' material," Seth said. "Would you care to explain why that is?"

Minze was again silent for several moments with a stony expression. "…I served as Master Valerian's confidant for many years after Madame Edelweiss's passing. And one of the greatest burdens weighing on his heart were the actions he took during the Ermisian Civil War. You see… Master Valerian served Emperor Diedrick in his campaign for much longer than was recorded in most history books. And, he did not serve Diedrick alone. There was a second alchemist in the emperor's employ. A man named Guillaume Rouque."

Abel had never heard that name before. But then again, he'd never so much as touched a history book in his life. But looking around the others, they seemed equally uninformed…

…Everyone except Raine, of course. "I've heard of him," the witch said. "But, I'm from the town where he lived. Before he left to fight in the war."

"War, Master Valerian said…" Minze continued, sullen. "…war does things to men. It awakens a beast within, a beast that spurs them to do things unthinkable in other circumstances. And the war in Ermis… allowed the beast sleeping in Mr. Rouque to flourish.

"Flooding the battlefield with toxic gasses, or luring an enemy force over terrain pitted with explosives, or into through narrow passes before collapsing them… Many of Emperor Diedrick's early victories were thanks to Mr. Rouque's animal cunning. Master Valerian took more than his fair share of lives during the war as well, but Mr. Rouque seemed to take an almost perverse amount of pleasure from the act of killing. And as the war progressed, Mr. Rouque's depravity deepened. He began working to incapacitate enemy forces rather than kill, and subjected captured prisoners to experimentation. Master Valerian never went into detail about what these experiments entailed, but nearly every instance resulted in the death of the subject."

"And, Diedrick just… let that happen?" Seth asked.

Minze's stony gaze shifted to Seth. "Though Master Valerian played a role in their execution, Mr. Rouque was responsible for the bulk of Diedrick's strategic planning, and thus, the architect behind most of the Emperor's victories. Simply put, in spite of his proclivities, Guillaume was too valuable an asset to simply be discarded." The maid's expression finally shifted, ever so slightly- for an instant, she looked disgusted, before her face returned to a neutral expression.

"But eventually, Mr. Rouque overstepped his boundaries. During the final siege of Kazas, Emperor Diedrick approached his alchemists, and asked if they knew any methods to break through the city's defenses. Mr. Rouque unveiled what he'd spent the entire campaign creating: in his own words, the perfect soldier. A nearly indestructible warrior, undeterred by hunger, pain, or the fear of death. A golem, built of flesh and blood, fueled by the life force stolen from their former comrades- by rubedo.

"Diedrick was outraged. Even in those days, the production of rubedo was outlawed in most civilized parts of the world. He rejected Mr. Rouque's proposal out of hand, and ordered his men to detain him. But before a sentence could be meted out, Mr. Rouque escaped. Due to the circumstances of the time, the emperor could not spare any men to pursue him. But, all products of his twisted research were destroyed, and his name was expunged from all official records. From there, history proceeds as it is commonly accepted."

Everyone was silent. A nearly indestructible warrior, undeterred by pain or the fear of death… with rubedo flowing through its veins. To Abel, that description seemed to match Zoyin perfectly. And it seemed he wasn't the only one to make that connection, as Holly asked, "Do you think that's what this monster Abel encountered was? A… flesh golem?"

"It isn't impossible," Minze said. "Despite Diedrick's best efforts, Mr. Rouque was never recaptured after his escape. It's entirely possible he may have taken on an apprentice, or compiled his notes and hidden them for someone else to find."

"While I'm sure that would be a fascinating discussion…" Claire began, "…I think you're all forgetting the big picture. We might know what that material is now, but that doesn't bring us any closer to figuring out who made it. Or the golem."

"Well, based on what Miss Minze told us, it's likely whoever made the rubedo also made the flesh golem," Lailah replied.

"Maybe Blue can solve that problem for us." The witch looked to Abel. "How about it, Blue? Give it a shot."

Abel nodded, and removed his amulet. As he held it in his hand, he focused on what he wanted to find: the creator of the rubedo sample. In honesty, he was surprised the idea hadn't come to him sooner.

But, to his shock, the amulet didn't pull toward a specific direction. It hung limp, as if he hadn't given a directive at all.

"…well?" Claire asked. "Don't keep all of us waiting." For a brief instant, Abel could have sworn he saw her smirking.

"I… I'm trying…" he said hesitantly. He focused, but still, nothing happened.

"Perhaps your Relic only works when you know the name of what you seek," Violet suggested.

Abel broke his concentration for a moment. "I don't think so…" he replied. "When we were in Aglis, it led us to the Archbishop, even though we hadn't met her yet. I just… have to…" Abel focused as hard as he could, but in the end, nothing happened. Humiliated, he finally tucked the amulet away.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Violet finally said, "…at any rate, there is a possibility the rubedo itself contains some clue to its origin. I will take it to my laboratory to begin tests. In the meantime…" Violet stood. "Minze, can you see our visitors to the guest rooms?"

Minze rested a hand on her chest. "As you wish, my lady. Shall I fetch you Master Anemone's notes regarding regional impurities in alchemical reagents?"

"Oh, yes! Please do." Violet saw herself out of the dining room, rubedo sample in hand.

Minze escorted the group out of the dining room and to the upper level, lighting various lamps mounted to the walls as she went, giving the manor a much warmer, more inviting feel. Their brief sojourn ended- unsurprisingly- at the hallway lined with empty bedrooms. After informing them that dinner would be served within the hour, the maid then left the group to their own devices. Raine quickly claimed one of the bedrooms for herself- as there were enough that no one would need to share, Abel and the others quickly followed her example. Abel settled into a room in the back of the house, facing the road they had traveled down. The road, however, was invisible, hidden behind thick clouds of dark grey mist.

After tossing his coat and his sword belt on the bed, Abel unfastened the chain around his neck and took off the amulet. Despite the gloom, its golden surface shone brilliantly. But, it was strange- the amulet had never failed to work before today? Why had it failed now?

"You're wondering why the amulet didn't work, aren't you?" Niel asked, fluttering away from his shoulder and landing atop a small table next to the bed.

"Well, yeah," he replied. "It's never not worked before this…"

"It's because of a mandate from Ilias," the angel said. "The gods and those who serve them are forbidden from providing any information, or answering any questions related to rubedo. And Relics made by their hands aren't exempt." She turned away. "Obviously, as one of Ilias's servants, I fall under that restriction as well. So I can't answer any questions either."

"What are we supposed to do, then?"

"I suppose you'll just have to put your faith in the Promesteins' heir," the angel replied. She leapt from the table onto the bed, sprawling herself across it, resembling a discarded doll more than an angel. "But don't forget- you have a mission. And so does the prince, for that matter."

Abel didn't reply. He liked to think that he had a good memory, but even if he didn't, he would never forget his mission thanks to the constant reminders, not just from Niel, but from seemingly everyone in the Church. He wouldn't have been surprised, after hearing it so many times, if someone were to see the reminder printed inside of his ears were they to look into them.

He knew about his mission. But the Overlord could wait, even if just for a little while. Abel had made a promise to Mavis. And he would see it done.

Abel still held the amulet in his hand. Using it to find the source of the rubedo wouldn't work. But, perhaps he would have better luck finding Zoyin's creator. After all, what Lailah had said earlier made sense- it was likely that the same person had created both the rubedo and the flesh golem. Again, he couldn't believe the thought hadn't occurred to him sooner. So he held up the amulet again, and focused.

Just as before, the pendant hung limply from its chain. But Abel was undaunted. He focused even harder, impelling the amulet to find Zoyin's maker with all the mental strength he could muster.

The amulet twitched… but that was all, and it quickly fell still once again. And as hard as Abel concentrated, the pendant refused to move again.

Abel let out a breath, his temples pounding. The small twitch had been too vague to glean an actual direction. And for all he knew, the amulet hadn't responded to his mental efforts at all- its movement could have come from an errant spasm in his own body. As he clasped the amulet's chain around his neck once more, Abel finally conceded that he wouldn't be able to resolve this on his own.

As Niel had said, he would have to place his faith in the Promestein family's young heir.