The bustling city of Atlasdam was quieter at night, but nonetheless still livelier than Flamesgrace at least. The streets were smooth and well paved with stone, and the buildings were constructed similar. Black metal streetlights flickered but blazed brightly, illuminating the street night life. People loitered around some of the houses. But none of them were so crass in behavior. None seemed too wasted. The people dressed well here, for the most part, and they held an air of dignity about them even as they wandered in frolicking joie de vivre.

Ophilia's head was turning all around to take everything in at once. The houses here seemed so different, unlike the ones always covered with snow in Flamesgrace. There were shops that were still open so late! Why, even two hours before this time, Flamesgrace would be utterly empty! She almost forgot her worry about their luggage on the horses being detained at the gate as collateral.

Due to Atlasdam being built on the highest elevation of the Flatlands, there were lower and higher portions of the city, accentuated by the stone steps up and down various levels where other houses were. But overall, it was mostly level enough.

For now, a good deal of the merchant shops was closed. Ophilia could only imagine how they looked in the day. Towards the north of town, she can see the spires of some castle towers. The lamp posts on the street bear the kingdom's seal in a crisscross of red and gold. It was a whole other world entirely, one telling of luxury and a worldliness she hadn't seen for a long time.

H'aanit glances about quickly, surveying with her perceptive eyes. She seemed still a bit tense, and the guards' reception had not helped assuage her anxiety. Linde and Hägen sniff and look about as well. It was no forest here, and completely different from Flamesgrace's quiet atmosphere. In the day, this place would undoubtedly be even livelier.

"Looks nice eh?" Mattias looks to the avid cleric, "How do you fancy the outside world, Ophilia?"

"Oh, it's all so very much... and to think it can be even more when the sun is up, haha!"

Their escort grunts, "The nightlife is where the rowdiness is. In the day, the city's as sober as can be, what with academy students and all."

"Academy?" Ophilia recalls Mattias mentioning it.

"Aye, the famous Academy of Atlasdam. Greatest jewel of education in all of Orsterra, as the tour guides say, hehe," The guard wipes his nose with a finger, "Cream o' the crop students and professors all over in the day at breakfast and lunch. Quite a bit of a bore really."

Ophilia had only heard of private education or educational institutions. The church ran a side school of its own, but that wasn't focused on education of the sciences or maths as much as it was on discipline and manners. When she was little, she hadn't gone to school yet, but she had small classes with the local teacher for youngsters.

"So, where is the merchant's guild?" Mattias yawns slightly, "It's a nice view and all but I'd much rather we don't have to stay up too late."

They pass the town square, where there is a nice circle before the stone railing that looks out south with a slight view of Middlesea. Lower down, the lights from the small Atlasdam port can be seen. The guard eventually leads them past the local pub to an enclosure of two-story buildings. There are nice sigils hanging from the doors and signs above denoting things like tailors, armor, meats, and other artisanal wares.

"This is the merchant's circle. Now, the master is..." The guard takes a few minutes to gather his thoughts before going towards the largest. There is a door on the side with a bell. He knocks on the bell and it rings.

There is no answer.

"I told ya he was asleep," The guard grumbles.

"Just ring it again," Mattias says firmly, rolling his eyes.

They stand there waiting. They ring the bell about five times, with Mattias pressuring the guard to do it. Behind the door is the sound of shuffling steps. Then it is thrown open to reveal a portly man in a nice pair of silken pajamas and a nightrobe. He seems rather peeved at being woken at this hour and glowers at the party with slightly bloodshot eyes.

"It's the middle of the gods damned night…" He growls. His voice then suddenly explodes with anger, "WHAT IS IT THAT CAN'T WAIT TILL MORNING?!"

"Uh-" The guard slightly flails to right himself from the sudden shout of the angry merchant, "T-these people… wanted to see you… sir."

"Ehh?" The guild master now turns to Mattias and the others. His shout had put H'aanit and the beasts on the defensive. Luckily, there seem to be few neighbors here to notice, though the ones present do return with an angry shout to quiet down.

"Terribly sorry about the ruckus, though we're none too happy to see you like this either, rest assured," Mattias says in a suave manner as he pulls out his emblem again, "I'm from the Leo Consortium. Yet these guards don't seem to think I'm worth any trust to walk around with these fine ladies."

H'aanit arches an eyebrow at how Mattias calls her a lady. Ophilia clutches her staff nervously as the guild master seems to look over the emblem carefully.

"Uy, they interrupt the entire neighborhood for this crap," The guild master huffs and rubs his balding scalp with a tired hand, "Let them in and spare us the trouble eh?"

His glowering eyes fixate on the guard, who stiffens.

"Uh- W-what should I tell the cap'n…" The guard asks meekly.

"You tell him not to go dragging my arse out of bed for stupid matters like this! Take them to the stocks next time or something and keep them there until day!" The guild master's nostrils flare, "Now, GOOD NIGHT!"

He slams the door in finality with a loud bang. The neighbors grumble loudly at the echo before returning to their own night. The guard swallows slightly.

"Well, I guess… you folks are fine to stay then. I'll be off now."

"Hey, don't forget about our cargo on the horses!" Mattias barks at the guard, "Bring them to the inn! We'll be heading there ourselves right about now."

The guard nods quickly before hurrying back to the post at the gates. Ophilia watches the guard return to the wall gate. Mattias yawns again and Linde follows suit. H'aanit scratches the big cat's head gently.

"Alright! Let's get ourselves a room and a good night's sleep eh? We still got quite a ways to go in order to get to Rippletide after all!" Mattias says cheerfully as he goes back towards the square, "The inn's this way, if I remember correctly…"

"T-that was a very mean man," Ophilia says as she follows, "To think that a merchant guild master could be so commanding even over soldiers…"

"Never underestimate the power of the purse, Ophilia," Mattias chuckles, "Take it from a merchant who knows."

"That be'en a truth…" H'aanit sighs, "Gold corrupteth the senses of man."

"Atlasdam's merchant sector has a lot of clout, what with Atlasdam's port trade and all holding up a good chunk of their economy… They also are generous donors to the Academy, you know?" Mattias shrugs, "You could have all the academics you want, but you need money to fund it all in the end."

"Oh…" Those words seemed to put Ophilia into deep thought. She looks up with slight realization suddenly, "Wait, we'll need a new carriage, won't we? Otherwise, how are we going to get there in time?"

"Don't worry about it, I've made the necessary arrangements," Mattias winks.

They reach the inn across the square. Just before it is the main street leading deeper into the city. Glancing down the street, Ophilia sees it leads towards the magnificent castle in the city's heart. Lights illuminate the behemoth building a little, and she can see it is surrounded by other buildings of fine splendor.

"So that's the castle, right?"

"Yep, Atlasdam castle. The king of the Flatlands resides there with the princess. His queen died a couple of years back in childbirth, but he's still going strong," Mattias talks like a guide as he turns to look briefly at towards the castle, "It's built right next to the academy too, you know? In fact, the princess is a student there, so I hear."

"Wow, an education with commoners?" Ophilia had read about princesses in storybooks for the most part. She imagined them as figures distantly placed on a pedestal. That they sat alongside non-royalty was surprising.

"Well, you can't really beat what the Academy's got to offer so I hear, even with royal tutors."

They arrive to the door of the inn. The interior is lit with a warm light. Upon entering, they see a cozy receptionist area. It feels several times larger than the inn in Flamesgrace, from the few times Ophilia had stepped foot there. There are nice armchairs arranged for guests to loiter and read from the nearby bookshelf.

As Mattias buys their rooms, Ophilia sees the huntress look at the selection of books idly. Linde and Hägen encircle her, seemingly a bit frisky.

"Is there something you see interesting, H'aanit?" Ophilia pokes her head over.

"… Notten really…" H'aanit sighs, "Linde and Hägen art a mite restless."

"Ah, I see. Well, it has been a rather long day," Ophilia curls a lock of hair behind her ear, "I'm feeling a bit restless myself though… This is my first time in such a place. It's so big! And, well, I'd never been in an institution like an academy… I wonder if they'd let guests enter… Have you ever been to a school, H'aanit?"

"Nay. Mine master hath me the hunt and letters learnedeth in tutelage. Most hunters weren same."

"Oh, I see…"

"Doest thou wanteth to go to school?" H'aanit looks to the cleric quizzically.

"Well, I recall looking forward to it for a time... Now it... seems like a lost opportunity haha..." Ophilia catches herself quickly, "Oh, but I learned lots from the church lessons!"

"Ophilia? H'aanit?" Mattias calls to them, waving a set of keys, "We have two rooms."

"Oh, two? Oh-!" Ophilia perks up just in time to catch a key that Mattias tosses to her.

"One for the ladies," Mattias winks, "I got a single for myself. The room number is on the key. We meet back here in the morning alright?"

"Ah, alright."

Just outside the inn's front window, they see a guard arrive with their horses and all their luggage.

"Finally!" Mattias mutters as he goes outside, "I'll bring it up. You can go check out your room for now, ok?"

"Uhm, are you sure you don't need help with the heavier things?" Ophilia goes to stop him, "Your knee isn't fully healed!"

"Nah, I'll be fine! See, good as new," Mattias does a small jig on his bad leg, barely a grimace on his face, "Yep, no problem at all..."

Ophilia looks at him, unbelieving and unamused, "Mattias..."

"Go on, go on! You two haven't been in a big city inn before, have you?" He grins and waves her off dismissively, "I'll ask the guard if I need any help, or the innkeeper, ok?"

Ophilia looks to H'aanit. The huntress shrugs a bit, "Letten us goeth then."

The two find the door number corresponding to their key. After unlocking and opening the door, Ophilia is slightly underwhelmed by the rather simple room. It seems well kept, with a large bed, a nice carpet, and a nightstand. They even have a window with a balcony and a waste bucket. It seems nicely cleaned for guests, with not a wrinkle on the sheets. Linde instantly pounces on the bed whilst Hägen warily appraises his surroundings.

"Hm, Linde liken the bed," H'aanit walks over to press the mattress, "Tis soft."

"I'll bet it's a real feather mattress," Ophilia closes the door behind her before going to sit on the bed, "Ooh, yes indeed…! It's so soft! In the church, usually we had just sheet scraps for filling or straw… This is entirely different!"

"Hm, tis similar in the village. Only the wealthy can afforden cottons and feathers. Mine master and I slepteth oft in furs."

"Oh, but that sounds rather lovely still. Pelts can be very warm, like Linde's!" Ophilia blurts out. The leopard whacks her head lightly with its tail, "Ah-!"

H'aanit chuckles, "Tis a compliment of thine fur, Linde. Tis true. Snowe leopard pelts aren thicke and warmen well."

Hägen settles on the carpet quietly. Linde gets off the bed as Ophilia and H'aanit relax a bit and take off their traveling gear. There is soon a knock at the door. Ophilia opens it to see Mattias. He seems a bit sweaty and out of breath as he lugs in the girl's belongings.

"Mattias!" Ophilia gawks, "I said you needed to take care of your knee-"

"M'fine, I'm good! Hehe, here you go!"

Ophilia sighs with exasperation as she receives and checks over her traveling case, "Thank you anyways, I suppose... Mayhap I should have packed less, haha…"

"Nonsense, Ophilia. Your valise is already realms too small compared to that of some other women," Mattias chuckles, "Alright, well I shan't keep you up. The bath is in the adjoining building through the lobby alright? My room's just next door, so do call if anything is amiss alright?"

"Alright," The cleric nods. With a wave, the merchant goes off to his own given room.

"We shoulde resten soone then," H'aanit places down her weapons and gear, "After we bathen."

"Ah yes, indeed," Ophilia nods and places down her staff and outer garb from travel, "What about Linde and Hägen? We did just cross such muddy land after all..."

"They haven bathed 'ere we lefteth Flamesgrace," H'aanit says, doffing her heavy furs, "Withen theire thicke coats, tis not a necessity that they washen oft."

"Ah, I never would have known! We washed Bastion almost weekly back at the church..." Ophilia chuckles at the thought, "But the cold up there would mask his musk. Only when we washed him did we realize how bad his body odor was!"

The two banter lightly as they go towards their well-deserved bath after a long trip. The adjoined building is split into two sections by sexes. At this hour, no one is in the baths. Like the Flamesgrace bath, it is one communal tub. The water is not too warm anymore after a long day, but it was hardly a worry for the two as they settled in to wash. While Mattias' decanter had cleaned them a bit on the road, they remained a bit filthy.

"Hmm... We barely got to see anything of Atlasdam..." Ophilia sighs in slight contentment as she reclines in the water, "Maybe on our way back we could drop by again... Oh that wouldn't be a good idea though with Anna and f- I mean, his Excellency waiting back home..."

H'aanit looks at the cleric mumbling to herself, "... Thou wanteth to traipse about more here?"

"It's nothing!" Ophilia clams up quick, focusing on scrubbing any residual dirt off, "We should hurry to bed soon. A rather long trip awaits us still..."

"Thou can riseth with me, Linde and Hägen then."

"Huh?" Ophilia blinks.

"I risen early in the morn to runnen with them. It shoulde be afore we leaven. Thou can joinest us as we go about the burg. Twould allowen thee to see what thou willst."

"Ah right your early exercises?"

"Aye. What doest thou thinketh of it?"

Ophilia loved to sleep when she could. Discipline as a cleric had helped her reign in her love of rest, and she was now conditioned to get up early daily, with the expectation of chores. But out on this road, she was hoping for something a bit more relaxed, if not for their tight schedule.

She sighs a bit, bidding adieu to that plan, before answering with a smile, "That sounds great!"

In the end, she still wanted to see more of this grand city.

"Hath thou much runnen?"

"Well, no," Ophilia chuckles, "The snows weren't ideal for that... and since f- His Excellency found me after that day... well, I was a bit of a sickly child, let's just say."

"Oh?" H'aanit blinks, "Thou needeth not if it be'en too much..."

"No, no, it's fine! I've grown up a bit from then, hehe!"

Silence resumes briefly.

The cleric looks to the huntress as she wrings her hair a bit, "Uhm... H'aanit?"

"Hm?" The huntress parts her own hair.

"You said your master... took you in after your parents died... and taught you everything you knew, right?"

"Aye."

"So, is he like... your father?"

H'aanit's hand pauses in raking her hair. Her face seems surprised at the question, blank of answers.

"... Er, sorry, that was a stupid question..." Ophilia backs down.

"Nay, tis... I hath... never thoughten about that," H'aanit regains her tongue, now looking down at the water, "... I doen not knoweth that..."

"O-oh, that's fine. I was just curious..."

"...Doth thou thinken it strange?"

"N-no! I was... taken in by his Excellency to the church myself... I lost my family a long time ago..." Ophilia glances at her white streaked hands, "I don't... have the right to call him father myself..."

"Hm? What doth thou mean?"

"I'm not his real child. That's Anna... I don't want to come between them. That'd be... a horrible thing to do after all the kindness they've shown me..."

"...That be'en a bygone fear," H'aanit leans closer to the cleric, "They see'eth thee as one of their owne. That much is clear."

Ophilia looks down at the water now in thought. They finish their bath in pensive silence.

Linde curls up next to H'aanit while Hägen takes the foot of the bed. Ophilia tries to make herself scarce with her side of the large bed after blowing out the candle. With the big cat in as well, they were rather snug. She could feel the warmth of the huntress behind her as she settles under the covers.

"Taken care not to fallen off," H'aanit says to the cleric all bunched up on one side.

"I-I'm fine!"

"Alright. Thou needen not worryen about coming too close," The huntress chuckles.

"... Ok..." Ophilia stops scrunching her body into such a tight ball and loosens a bit. She can feel her back grazing against the huntress. At first, she flushed. But she scolded herself inwardly. She'd slept beside Lianna before! This is no different... As she told herself this, she slowly relaxes and even smiles a little.

"Good night, H'aanit. Good night, Linde. Good night, Hägen."

Linde gives a purr and Hägen grunts. H'aanit sighs with contentment, nuzzling her face into Linde's fur, "Goode night, fair Ophilia..."

Ophilia did not sleep immediately, her eyes lingering and adjusting to the shape in the dark. Undoubtedly, the excitement has yet to die in her. Outside the Frostlands for the first time in ages! With a small giggle, she closes her eyes to sleep.

The talk from the bath though keeps the huntress awake a bit longer. Z'aanta... as her father? That would explain that feeling … this sinking feeling when she contemplated never seeing him again. But he … just had to be alive.

H'aanit sighs and holds Linde close as she closes her eyes.

…

Before the sun had totally risen from the hills, H'aanit was up at its first rays. The huntress yawns and sits up. Linde lazily stretches and rolls onto her back, exposing her belly. H'aanit chuckles softly and rubs the cat's tummy sleepily. She gets out of bed and goes to dress. Linde stands and arches in bed before lightly nuzzling the cleric. Hägen rouses at their movement and stretches himself.

"Mm..." Ophilia grumbles, feeling the poke of the big cat's stiff whiskers, "M'up... m'..."

She opens her eyes reluctantly when she feels Linde's rough tongue, "I'm up, I'm up...!"

Sitting up, she rubs her eyes and yawns. The morning is cold at first when one wakes, and she rubs her arms a bit as she stands on the cold floor. H'aanit opens the windows, revealing the still-blue morning sky. As the sun continues to rise above the hills, the color begins to change to a purple-magenta. But for now, it was still largely blue.

Ophilia sleepily dresses, waking up slower, "You do this every morning, H'aanit?"

"Aye... when I can."

"That's amazing..." Ophilia yawns again. She'll probably pass on doing this ever again.

"Tis habit after many years," H'aanit chuckles softly seeing the sleepy cleric, "Shallen we go?"

Ophilia nods, finished putting on her shoes. She asks meekly, "This isn't going to be a fast run... is it?"

"Hmm... tis more a jog mayhap. We willen slowen for thee, rest assured."

Ophilia could not help but feel nervous. It was similar to how she loathed chores in the church, but it was a duty she had to uphold. She said she would join this exercise, despite her adverse attitude to physical exertion, so she had to now lie in the bed she made. Oh, how she wanted to lie back in bed too.

As expected, the morning jog certainly is more than the cleric could take.

They had just gone over to the castle and academy square from town center, up main street, through the inner wall, and Ophilia is already huffing and puffing. Her clothes were not entirely meant for working out, so they restricted her movement and made them inefficient. The cobbled roads also climbed uphill towards the castle. Though she had her fair share of running in the snow, this was a more arduous distance to cover, and she couldn't stop as she pleased.

"Huff... Haa... uff..." The cleric slumps against a lamp post by some flowers. Her legs hurt, her lungs ached, and everything seemed to be shaking.

Linde seems to give a catty smirk. Hägen gives a slight sigh.

"Thou doth not runnen much eh?" H'aanit rubs Ophilia's back, a sympathetic expression on her face.

The cleric shakes her head, too breathless to say anything. She coughs slightly and straightens as she regains her breath. The huntress helps her over to a bench. Ophilia slumps down, leans back, and sighs.

"I... I'm sorry, this really isn't … for me after all..."

"Nay, tis nothing to asken pardon for. Doest thou requireth water?"

Ophilia nods tiredly. H'aanit reaches for her side and realizes.

"Ah, mine waterskin be ereforth…" She sighs, "Waiten thee here. I shall fetcheth it posthaste."

The huntress runs off back to the inn with the two beasts flanking her. Ophilia is too tired to object. The cleric leans back against the back of the bench and looks around the upper city. It is now much lighter. The sky was beginning to turn golden, chasing away the dark magenta and violet. It had been windless earlier, but now a slight breeze flaps the banners of Atlasdam lightly around the city.

The upper square, closer to the academy and castle, is obviously better kept and guarded. A few armored guards stand around here, eyeing the early risen street sweeper. From the square, there are very beautiful structures in the vicinity. The royal palace, now seeing it in daylight, is a rather splendid sight. It was not as tall as Ophilia had initially thought, with a more fortified look, having layers behind the primary gate. It is surrounded by a small moat and bridged by stone. The gates right now seem to be closed.

East of the square is nature, with trees and grass: The Atlasdam natural park. But before the park is a short, cobbled road before an elevated building. There is a set of stairs that climb up to the top of the plateau, whose edge is rimmed with a black iron fence. The building on top is not small and resembles something like a small mansion. Hanging over the entryway is the coat of arms of the Atlasdam royal family. Ophilia wasn't sure what the building was, but it sure seemed important.

West of the square is a lower, wider building with three levels. The windows are lined with composite columns and the walls are uniform brick. Statues of lions flank the sides of the entrance. Like most other houses, it seems to be closed at this time. But Ophilia is surprised to see a small line of people already waiting to go inside. Many carry books and scrolls and are dressed in fine clothing, some in uniform. Perhaps that was the academy.

What industrious people, Ophilia thinks silently. By now, her breathing had slowed back to normal.

Suddenly, a man sits down on the bench, on the other end from her. She unconsciously flinches and tries not to immediately turn to look at the stranger. From the corner of her eye, she sees he is rather handsome, with a smooth jaw and even face. His black hair is long and loosely tied in a ponytail from the back, with many strands hanging on the sides of his face. While he seems rather tired, his features are undiminished. Ophilia notices he wears a dark hood coat with a caplet, embroidered in gold, like some of the others by the academy. She averts her eyes before her staring becomes too evident.

"Hmm... But wherever could that be... He wouldn't... No, no, that simply isn't done..."

The man mutters to himself, not entirely quietly. He seems to be thinking aloud, not having even seen Ophilia. As he thinks and talks, he poises himself rather comically, with an arm holding his chin and his other arm supporting that arm's elbow. His eyes are closed in extreme concentration as he lists word after word of strange jargon.

"Motive, hmm... no, I daresay he has insufficient reason on any front... no, she's not a suspect... But what of the testimony from the widow..."

Ophilia has half the mind to think him criminally insane. As she is about to get up and sneak away, he suddenly gives a loud shout, sitting up straight and smacking a fist to his hand.

"EUREKA!"

The sheer force behind that triumphant cry is enough to make the meek cleric totter. It even attracts the attention of the nearby sleepy guard. He comes over, steps clanking.

"S'something happening here?" The guard yawns. Upon seeing the man, he seems to recognize him, "Ah it's you, professor."

Professor?

"Oh, sorry about startling you, Naeler. I think I must have let my elation get the best of me," The man says in a very pleasant voice and, dare the cleric say, enticing accent.

"Don't tell me, you've got a lead after all that sleuthing yesterday?" The guard named Naeler gives a sleazy grin, "Ol' Dan said you were running around the night to. Do you professors just never sleep or something?"

"Haha, we are assuredly human. But trust me, years of both being a student writing papers to dawn and a professor who grades all night is bound to make one a bit of an insomniac!" The man stands with a dramatic flourish of his cape, "But it is all well worth the efforts when the method comes to fruition!"

He strides away confidently with a quick gait. The guard shrugs and returns to his post, having trouble even keeping his eyes open. Ophilia realizes she had been completely overlooked the entire time by both the professor and guard.

A-am I that bland…?

Her head droops a bit at the thought and her eyes fall upon an object left forgotten on the bench. It is a thick tome with many loose pages poking out. Despite how disheveled it looks; it is quite apparent it has been used a lot and cleaned. The slightly dented golden bindings are positively shining. On the front is a small plate with book's name. Ophilia curiously looks it over as she picks it up.

"Property of Professor Cyrus Albright..."

Professor... This must belong to the man. He'd left it in his deep thought most likely. The way he pondered so obliviously was almost comedic.

"Uhm, excuse me...!"

Ophilia looks around and sees the professor has already left their area entirely. He sure did walk fast.

Oh, but Ophilia had to return this! A professor, from the image in her head, was a well-read person who took care of all their books as if they were children. Or something.

Just then, she sees the huntress, Linde and Hägen return.

"Ah, H'aanit!"

"Aren thou alright?" The huntress glances her over as she hands over a waterskin, "Hast thou a tome acquiren?"

"Oh, no, this isn't mine!" Ophilia hurriedly explains between swigs of water, "See, there was this gentleman professor who left it here on the bench!"

H'aanit looks over the book and tilts her head with a slight disbelieving face, "... He hath lost such a cumbersome booke...?"

"W-well he was, to be fair... deep in thought, we should say..."

"Wheren be he?"

"Uh, I didn't see where he walked off...! But we should definitely return it!"

H'aanit looks up towards the oncoming morning sky, "... Then we oughten make with haste, aft' it willen be time to leaven Atlasdam."

"Right... But how will we find him? This city is so big..." Ophilia sighs and hands back the waterskin.

"Hägen."

"Eh?"

"Hägen's nose ist very sharp," H'aanit says simply, replacing the vessel on her belt, "When Z'aanta and he art hunting, tis few a beast they cannen not finde in the wood."

"Oh! So, the book should have his scent..."

Ophilia holds the book gingerly before the dire wolf's snout. Hägen sniffs it lightly for a few moments and then rears his head to the east.

"Ah, to the building? The park?"

The wolf obviously doesn't answer and simply runs ahead in an easy trot, which is still quite fast on four legs. H'aanit and Linde follow close behind, leaving Ophilia last to follow.

…

Mattias didn't exactly rise with the rooster ever. He would like to sleep longer if he could, but it was not his choice to wake early as he did. His sleep was fitful, and he wakes up all sweaty and panting. His eyes reflect a glimpse of a torturous hellscape before returning to normal.

"... Damn."

His hand grazes the back of his neck. Hidden under his long hair is a small, black mark along the back of his neck. It looks like a black brand on top of something with jagged white scars like lightning.

The light outside his room window was still that of pre-dawn. Deciding not to wake the girls just yet, he goes to take a quick morning bath. As luck would have it, some other journeymen are also soaking the early morning away after their exercise. He sinks into the water, making himself scarce. The nightmares … he wasn't feeling so talkative after them. He just listens as the others banter meaninglessly.

"So, you goin' to the Grandport fair?"

"Naw... Well, not yet anyway. Ain't got no treasure t' show after I blew it on my last sale..."

"I hear competition's real fierce this year too. I hear some struck some real nice pickin's up at Quarrycrest."

"Ain't that a story? Some lil' minin' town eh? Maybe I oughta try my luck, hehe..."

"Whaddabout you, stranger?"

Mattias sits up in slight alarm when the strangers look towards him. They were two older men, one with tan skin and the other with brown hair.

"You're a merchant too, ain't ya? I saw ya luggin' around some merch last night."

"Oh, yes," Mattias sighs upon being noticed, "I didn't think to run into fellow merchants here."

"Oh, heck yeah, Atlasdam's got a big hub for trade," The brunet points to himself, "I'm in the book sales from the Scroll's Crusade."

"That's just your market then, ain't it, pal?" The other merchant chuckles, "M' a trader of treasures! Hehe, I got valuable famed armor and shields of all kinds."

"Well, you got scammed out of a big one though."

"Don't remind me!" The tanned merchant deflates.

"Hm, I see," Mattias forces a small smile, though it comes off more as a smirk, "I'm with the Leo Consortium."

"Hmm? Ain't that the small little church thing?"

"Miscellaneous mostly," Mattias says, bored "We deal with a lot of trade routes from food to ecclesiastical goods. But we are commonly associated with the church, yes."

"Well, that's dandy. The church's got its own special sides eh..."

The brunet shrugs, "Well who doesn't? They don't exactly make a ton on tithes."

"The fat hell they don't!" The tanned merchant angrily scrubs his scalp, "I hear they got some real cushy biz on the side! So much fer livin' pure and ascetic lives!"

Mattias smiles inwardly a little with a hint of malice at the comment.

"I'm just saying ya should take it from me. Heck, selling books ain't all cracked up as it used to be. The real valuable stuff is all under lock and key these days," The brunet says airily as he washes his arms.

"Oh, is that so?" Mattias looks to him with slight amused interest, "What sort of books are we talking about here?"

"Uhh, old tomes tomes, you know the like... The ones written on vellum and stuff, with handwriting instead of that newfangled print press thing, and hand-stitch binding with treated thread... all the works. Cept' most of 'em have gone and burned up by now."

"Interesting. They're bound to have this sort of material here, in the capital of learning, you think, no?" Mattias says offhandedly.

"More or less yeah. Aw shucks, speakin' of which!" The brunet hurries to finish cleaning and scramble out, "I gotta meet my source soon!"

The tanned merchant also clambers out of the bath now, "Books, books books, boring old dusty things..."

"And where might you be going, Mr. Treasure Hunter?"

"Eh, see my folks in Wispermill for some cash maybe. I gotta make up for my loss, y'know?" He chuckles, "'Sides, I got time 'fore the big event in Grandport. I oughta be lookin' for a presentable treasure fer Sir Wyndham...!"

"Wispermill, hm? What a coincidence," Mattias stands to follow the man out, "Please do give my regards to your family."

He lightly taps the bigger man's back as they go to fetch their clothes. The tanned merchant blinks.

"Uhh... thanks? You from there too?"

"I've been there once or twice," Mattias smiles slightly as he dresses in a flash, "And do take care going back. There are a few monsters along the way nowadays."

He walks out, leaving the other to dress. The time is still quite early. Espying the brunet just leave the establishment, Mattias hurries after him without a sound.

…

Strangely enough, following Hägen led the two girls and Linde to neither the building nor park. Situated on the side, into the rock upon which the elevated building stands, is a small tunnel. An old grate, wood planks, and some overgrowth hang around it. On the old rusted grate is a sign reading "Underground Archives."

"He went in here...?" Ophilia says apprehensively. This hardly seemed like a place for such well-dressed scholars.

"Hägen's nose doeth not lie," H'aanit peers about the darkness at the entrance, "This gate weren opened easily... Tis still in use."

"Eh, how do you figure?" Ophilia looks at the black rusted grate.

H'aanit moves the grate a few times, "It doen not noise maketh."

"Ah!" It had not occurred to the cleric that the hinges were oiled despite the rusted look, "Well it says there are archives under here... Perhaps this is part of the academy?"

"Tis an odd place foren a study."

"I'll say... But surely this means it is safe? After all, we need to return this..." Ophilia grips the tome, "Oh but I haven't my staff to make a light..."

H'aanit steps into the tunnel and looks to the side, where a rack of unlit lanterns seems to be hung. A set of wicks and ignition flint is set atop for use. The huntress lights a lantern.

"It seemeth that this be'en prepared..."

"Ah so it must really be an archive or something of sorts..." Ophilia follows her inside and looks around the cave, "There's not nearly as many books in here as I was expecting of an archive though..."

They make their way inward now. The natural form of the cave becomes apparent in the light. The building above is built on some sort of cavern. Its walls have not been refurbished or repurposed to hold anything, but the floors have been smoothed and steps carved to make it easier to scale. Lit braziers along the way provide relief from the darkness. Alongside some stalagmites here and there are small shelves, chests and keeps topped with artifacts like antiquated globes, broken busts and archaeological finds. A single path has been carved out, leading upward as they venture deeper.

Ophilia peers here and there at the artifacts scattered about. A flurry of bats from the ceiling suddenly descends upon them, awoken by their light. They screech and squeal as they buffet the party momentarily. Ophilia gives a yelp, shielding her face with the book. H'aanit swings her axe to keep the swarm away from her face. Linde and Hägen snap up and around, crunching on a few bats until the swarm passes.

"Ah..." Ophilia looks down at the dead bats at their feet, "These are big bats...!"

"Aye... monsters. Hmm..." H'aanit looks up ahead and pauses, "What be'en..."

"Huh?"

The party looks ahead to see something strange and glowing floating about the pathway. It appears to be a black metal shape emanating light from a glass head, like a larger lantern. The light from its head is a pale white blue. Under the glass head appears to be long arms that fan like blades. Like a ghost, it floats about the cavern ways, shining its light as it goes. But it does not stray too far from what seems to be a recurring pattern in its movement.

"What is that...?" Ophilia gapes a bit at the strange thing, "An animate?"

"It seemeth so. A sentry mayhap," H'aanit goes to press along the side of the pathway, "Twould be wise to avoideth its light."

Ophilia nods and follows suit. As they edged along, the tip of Linde's tail swishes into the perimeter of the sentinel light. Instantly, the glare of its head shifts to shine on the sneaking party.

"Ohno-"

A burst of chilly air explodes in their faces, slamming them hard on the wall. Hägen gives a yelp as shards of ice form from the roots in his fur.

"Ugh-!" H'aanit tosses her axe at the sentinel with hairline accuracy, striking the glass face. There is a sound of cracking glass and the sentinel flickers, an axe lodged in its broken head. The blazing light in its head seems to grow with its frame damaged, and the bitter cold lingers, growing in intensity.

"Ahh!" Ophilia rushes forward and smacks the thing on the head straight with the heavy book. The force of the hit sends it to the ground, flickering.

"Quickly, Linde!"

The leopard gives a battle growl and leaps forward, slamming a claw down on the construct. The impact makes a crunching sound as the sentinel frame caves entirely and the flicker goes out. All that is left is a pile of bent metal and broken glass.

"Brr..." Ophilia shudders from the residual feeling of ice, "That was... quite frightening."

"Thou acteth well despite that," H'aanit says, cleaning bits of ice off her clothes. She goes to retrieve her axe from the broken thing. Something catches her eye and she sifts over the broken glass with the tip of her weapon.

"Hm? Something the matter?" Ophilia glances over from helping Hägen pick out the ice on his body.

"This strange stone," H'aanit holds up a small, bluish rock she fishes out from the shards of glass, "It weren in the sentry."

"Ah... Strange... It looks like the soul stone Mattias gave Lianna for the trial... but a different color?" Ophilia thinks a moment, "They have great magic power I remember, from what Mattias said. We should be careful with it."

"Mm," H'aanit nods, sheathing her axe and pocketing the find, "That weren quite bold of you to useth the book as a bludegon."

"Eh... ahh, you're right!" Ophilia hurriedly inspects the book to make sure it wasn't damaged from being used to smack the construct, "Oh dear it has a bit of a dent on the cover... I-I didn't mean to, it was just, at the moment and-"

"If it cannen still be readeth, I doth se'en not a problem," H'aanit chuckles softly, "Comen, letten us returneth it."

Ophilia sighs and nods. They head deeper into the back of the cave and see more clutter, as well as wooden planks and ropes making for makeshift stairs. A strange burst of heat from a higher level, at the very end of the cave, alerts the beasts first, and they hear loud shouting coming from a brightly lit section just up ahead from the stairs.

"WILDFIRE!"

"Russell, don't-!"

"Ah!" Ophilia recognizes the second voice as the professor, "H-he's in trouble!"

H'aanit puts a finger to her lips, a tense hand on her bow. She gestures with her fingers and the beasts tense. There is suddenly laughter from the first voice followed by a splashing sound.

"Hehe... Lucky me you don't seem to have your spell book, Cyrus... If you only you hadn't stuck your nose where it didn't belong!"

Ophilia felt that strong fear rear up again and the tone of the voice sends a chill down her spine. Just in the nick of time, H'aanit and the beasts move forward with a burst of speed. The cleric quickly follows.

They come upon the inner subterranean study, with shelves of books and tables of strange scientific measuring instruments and charts of jargon on the walls. The room is illuminated with a flaming hearth alongside racks of antique plates and glass tubes. Streaks of burns litter the floor. A man with wavey, dirty-blonde hair and a black professor's robe stands, clutching a book to his chest. Opposite of him is a large mass of bubbly water suspended above the ground. Ophilia gasps sharply when she sees, through the bubbles, is the professor they had been looking for, trapped in a prison of water. He claws desperately at the edge of the water bubble.

The dirty blonde hears the gasp and turns to face the party in surprise. Linde is faster and swipes at his hand as she rushes him, knocking the book out of his grasp.

"Aargh!" The man holds his bleeding hand, "W-who're you lot?!"

With the book out of his hand, the water globule seems to wobble, losing its shape. It splashes open and the professor inside is dropped onto the floor in a puddle of water. He coughs and heaves, gasping for air.

"W- Just what are YOU doing... s-sir?!" Ophilia fumbles for a proper address despite the situation, "Were you just trying to kill someone?!"

"S-shut up! Get out! You're trespassing!" The dirty blonde man raves with mad, desperate eyes. He looks toward his dropped tome hopefully. Linde arches menacingly over where his book has fallen, and he sweats.

"Russell, it's over," The professor on the floor slowly catches his breath and sits up, "You need to return what you have stolen to the Academy!"

"Urgh..." Russell's manic expression is searching for something, anything, which would get him out of this mess, "Damn you, Cyrus… You bastard… You would never understand … what someone like me… has to do to survive!"

"That may be… But what you have committed is a sin, graver so as a scholar!" Cyrus stands and folds back the wet locks of hair and points dramatically, "You must face the consequences of those actions!"

With a maddened step, Russell darts for something on the nearby table. Linde pounces after him. He grabs something like a glass vial with red liquid and raises it above his head.

Cyrus' eyes widen, "Wait NO-"

The desperate man throws down the vial just before the leopard catches him. It cracks and spills. Flames leap up as the liquid sublimates into heated plasma. Linde gives a yowl as she is deterred by the sudden heat. The fire spreads onto all the equipment nearby with frightening speed, threatening to consume the entire cavern.

"Russell, you're mad!" Cyrus shields himself from the flames, "Do you intend to destroy yourself?!"

The other scholar does not respond, instead looking with wide-eyes desperation at the ensuing inferno. Ophilia looks about nervously at the flames as they lick away at the wooden racks and shelves. It is unlikely it will spread to the rock and block their way out. But it seemed to go against what she had been taught to leave even the apparent villain in the fire. Realization hits and she turns to the calm and collected huntress.

"H'aanit, the soul stone!"

H'aanit, though initially surprised, takes the cue immediately and retrieves the blue stone from her pack. She points it at the flames and suddenly the air becomes cold. The flames are pierced and stifled as icy peaks rise from the ground, chilling the cavern. Russell pales as his inferno is subdued. As he tries to make a quiet exit, he is pinned by an icicle that pierces his caplet to the wall.

"Ack!"

Linde growls at him menacingly and he squirms in his helpless situation.

"Was that a soulstone?" Cyrus glances to the two maidens who came to his rescue, then back to Russell, "Well it seems you haven't got any other mode of recourse anymore, Russell. It's time you turned yourself in and face the punishment."

Ophilia and H'aanit, who merely happened to come into this situation, stand there looking on with slight confusion as Cyrus goes to arrest Russell.

…

"I suppose you both deserve an explanation… But first, allow me to extend my utmost thanks to you for having come to return my tome and inadvertently saving me from a watery grave at the hands of my colleague. Ahem, I am Cyrus Albright, professor at Atlasdam Royal Academy."

"You see, at around midday of the day before… Ah, no, yesterday. That was yesterday. Pardon the slips, I haven't had much rest as I was utterly engrossed in this case you see… Oh, but silly me, I haven't even told you yet what case this was all about!"

"Yes, see, twas around midday yesterday that I had finished teaching class. There was news of a rare, one-of-a-kind tome donated to the academy library right around that moment. A famous historian had passed of recent and among the things in his dying will was a donation to the academy. The Church of the Flame: A Complete Historie! Tis a book which has been made into numerous pamphlets to date, but most of the language and jargon has been simplified from the original, unabridged version. Unfortunately, there were only three original copies ever made, as they were incredibly arduous to create. It took an entire team of historians and the church's abbots to compile all the necessary records and papers to complete even one, and twas all pure manpower! It was painstakingly handwritten, and on expensive tanned reams of animal skin and plants no less! Even more unfortunate is that a fire had erupted in the chapel which housed these tomes. Imagine it, all that knowledge, lost in an instant, due to some human error of carelessness!"

"Ah, but I digress. It turns out that one of the original copies had survived, and it lay in the hands of the family of Ysel. The family head passed as of recent and bequeathed the tome to the library. Naturally, such a rare find drew my attentions like bees to fresh flowers! I immediately went to seek it within our archives. Woe to my soul when I found it missing from the shelves! And our librarian Mercedes hadn't the slightest as to what could have happened to it! It was as if, as soon as it had arrived, it had grown legs and wandered off, or even vanished into thin air!"

"Thus, began my endeavor to discover what had happened to the tome! My initial suspicions were that perhaps the delivery had been misplaced. But Mercedes assuaged my fears and assured me she had witness with her very own eyes the book had arrived and was placed into our archives with utmost due care. There was also no one on library register who had checked out the book prior to my inquiry. Thus, I surmised the only logical explanation was that the book had indeed been stolen!"

"I therefore began my investigation into the culprit. Other than Mercedes, there were only two other keys to the archives where the tome was being kept. As she showed me her copy, safe and sound, I had no reason to suspect it had been taken nor had she used it out of ill-intent, for she has no motive. Thus, the other two keys became my subject of suspicion. Said other keys are that of the academy headmaster Yvon, and the library guard, Gerald. The headmaster is a bit of a … guarded man. It is unlikely he would have taken the book, as he has had little interest in the archives as of late. When he required anything of the vault, he typically had one of us scholars fetch it for him."

"That thus leaves Gerald. But whatever could a guard who merely watches the library have to gain from stealing some books? He himself calls them an object unworthy of theft, so it is unlikely he had any motive to do so. However! I had noticed that he had been lacking sleep! As guard of the library, he has unusual hours compared to that of other guards, and even they can be quite tempted to fall into the sweet arms of slumber for a second or two from time to time. Tis an unfortunate circumstance on their part…"

"…And I'm afraid that is what allowed Gerald to lose his key to the vault. He seemed rather frantic and worried about something. After looking through his recent activities, I saw no outstanding problems domestically in his relations. However, he had recently paid an unorthodox visit to the Academy lost-and-found. As such, I deduced he must have lost the key, or it was stolen from him. In looking for suspects, I need only consider who could have had motive within the library circles…"

"…Which turned out to be that the key must have fallen into the hands of my colleague, Russell. He is a consistent face in the library, and, as part of my interrogatories, I uncovered his growing gambling debt. It took me a good deal of my evening as I traipsed from the gambling dens to ascertain this rumor. Once I had arrived at the infallible logical truth, it troubled me deeply that I would need to confront Russell to assert these accusations. But on my reputation as a scholar, I could not turn a blind eye to his crimes."

"I had ventured thusly into his study in the subterranean region beneath the academy to convince him to turn himself in. However, I had unfortunately misplaced my spell tome… which you were thankfully so gracious to return to me! Russell was adamant about his innocence until I laid bare my body of proof gathered over the course of the day, and he was crushed to realize what an airtight case it was! Thus, he had the mind to turn to violence and erase the evidence…"

"He took me unawares with his fire spell first, and then set upon me water wisps. I was in despair thinking I might perish, and the truth with me! But thank the gods that was when you ladies came to my rescue. A most uncanny outcome."

Cyrus looks to the two ladies and merchant before him with a blank smile, his returned tome resting on his lap.

"And that is everything I suppose."

Linde yawns at H'aanit's feet. Hägen is looking elsewhere at the guards who have taken Russell into custody nearby. Along with the scholar is a brunet merchant, both looking rather dejected at this point.

"Er… wow, you sure…" Ophilia manages a weak smile, "That was…"

"Thou talketh too much," H'aanit says bluntly, cleaning her ears, "I hath thoughten the whole day hath passed."

"Ah, really? Perhaps I should have condensed it some more?" Cyrus assumes another pose of deep thought, "But that would compromise a good deal of showing how the logic flows from scene to scene…"

"You've been talking this whole time and you didn't even ask for the names of the ones who saved you!" Mattias says exasperatedly.

"Uh, it's fine, Mattias…" Ophilia smiles nervously, "It was mostly luck… And speaking of which, I'm amazed you were able to get the other end of the illegal book dealings!"

"Ehehe, well he was being mighty suspicious in the baths," Mattias wipes his nose, "You wouldn't believe my surprise when I realize he's been knowingly buying and selling pilfered books to shady figures on the side! So, I grab some guards to get him and then I see you guys wrangled your own ne'er-do-well too! Quite some luck, eh?"

"Indeed!" Cyrus dramatically spreads an arm and flaps his caplet, "I have yet to ask of your names!"

"Er…" Ophilia couldn't quite fathom how dense this man was, "I'm Ophilia… These are H'aanit, Linde, Hägen, and Mattias."

"Fascinating. This is a dire wolf, no?" The professor immediately lowers himself to scrutinize at Hägen, much to the wolf's annoyance, "Incredibly rare creatures… Endangered after a good deal of the expansion around the era of…"

Mattias attempts to interrupt his train of thought by clearing his throat. That fails miserably with the dense scholar, who begins his rambling lecture about the hunting of wolves. Ultimately, H'aanit walks up between the scholar and the subject of his interest, looking down at him with a rather unamused expression.

"Haven thee not more business to attendeth to?"

"Ah, but of course!" Cyrus jumps to his feet at once, "There's the matter of re-acquiring all the stolen books that have been sold! I must speak to Mercedes immediately!"

The professor speeds off back to the building on the west. Mattias sighs with some annoyance.

"What a … foolhardy character…"

"Now, Mattias, that's a bit harsh, haha…"

H'aanit looks up at the sky. The sun was still far from its peak. Looking around, she sees people still just beginning to bustle about.

"We haven much doneth this morning," She smiles slightly on the side, "Twas a fine training session."

"Oh, I guess it was…!" Ophilia laughs, "We did run around a lot, didn't we … Ah, are we pressed for time to leave?"

"Hmm, we shouldn't be," Mattias scratches his head, "The day doesn't seem even near half up yet. We should still be on time to leave for Rippletide. How about some breakfast first, hm? There's some nice cafes here for the students that make good pastries!"

"Sounds wonderful!" Ophilia smiles eagerly.

"And then we can talk a bit about the zany things that happened this morning eh?" Mattias gives a knowing grin, "I'll keep it brief, I swear."