INVESTIGATING THE WAREHOUSE

Adam was inside Miller's inn at Ebonmere, that's where everything started, he was alone in the middle of the empty inn, he looked at the counter and noticed blood over it.

"According to the report this must be the place where the innkeeper was killed.", Thought Adam while approaching the counter, he took a quick investigative look but nothing was strange, he then walked towards one of the rooms and opened it, it was the room that Irene nearly burned all of it the night she had her nightmare and lost control.

"And here stayed the hybrid and the hunter their first night, the innkeeper's daughter said that the hybrid lost control that night and caused this, that's something to be wary of, if she has the energy to do this in this age then sure she's dangerous, I wonder how the hunter dealt with her.", Thought Adam while walking inside the room and taking a look over the burnt furniture, he started checking the burns and how the burnt wood crumbles easily under his gentle touches.

"That's not pyromancy, the core under the burns have strange reddish color that doesn't happen with burns from pyromancy, and it's impossible for her to use Bethra's ember, she must be a dark caster with Bethra's blessing to o be able to use it or to be born as a scarlet demon from Bethra's generation, she's not one of those.", Thought Adam while intensely focusing on the burns before looking around again.

After a while, Adam was inside the second room where Jaxith and Irene stayed in for the rest of the days before leaving, the room was completely fine except for one detail, the floor just in front of the door was completely black!

It was somehow close to a humanoid figure, like someone was laying down here, but it looked strange, Adam kneeled down to check it with his hand before raising it to his nose.

"Not fire too but different from the energy that the hybrid used in the first room, the innkeeper's daughter stated that no accidents happened in this room, but no explanation to this spot, even the officer that came here didn't know what's this as well as the innkeeper's daughter who stated that they left before anything to happen, but it looks like someone is lying.", Thought Adam while standing up.

"It's not a coincidence that the second place they appear in and casualties drop, in Orstone we thought it was just the scarlet giant incident but after that we found that the whole thieves guild were slaughtered, now strange people butchered in a horrible way outside the inn and inside there was the innkeeper's body who was just stabbed in the chest, something isn't right.", Thought Adam while walking out of the room.

"And there's that little quarrel between the hunter and the lumberjacks, the weird thing is that the three completely disappeared last night, the village people claims that the hunter is behind their disappearance but the innkeeper's daughter said that they left before anything to happen, but that still doesn't answer the crucial question, who are those men that came and killed the innkeeper? Who killed them?", Thought Adam who was now outside the inn and noticed an officer coming towards the inn.

"Are you connected to the investigation, sir?", Asked the officer, he clearly doesn't know Adam, that's why he asked what's he doing in a crime scene.

"Captain Adam Aravos, his majesty's personal guard and the head of the palace security.", Said Adam formally, the officer was surprised after hearing this and immediately dismounted from his horse and bowed in respect.

"At your service, captain.", Said the officer politely before raising himself.

"What brought you back, officer? I thought your investigation ended for today.", Said Adam curiously.

"Something strange happened, captain, one of my soldiers didn't come back from his patrol at the east side of the village, also the carriage that was carrying the dead bodies that was out here didn't make it back to the camp, it simplify disappeared, I wanted to take a further look on them, maybe we could have been able to identify any of them, now I lost another two soldiers in addition to the one that was patrolling, this case is very weird.", Said the officer while looking stressed, Adam started wandering.

"The carriage disappeared without any trace?", Said Adam while looking quizzically at the officer.

"Indeed.", Said the officer.

"I think that someone is trying to cover all the clues, but if he's afraid about the corpses getting recognized, what about the guard who was patrolling the east?", Thought Adam before looking seriously at the officer.

"Investigate the carriage disappearance and send a report to the palace with whatever you find.", Said Adam seriously before turning to leave.

"What about the guard, captain? He got a family too.", Said the officer in concern, Adam stopped but didn't turn.

"I'll deal with him, but don't raise your hope nor his family's, probably he saw something that he shouldn't have seen.", Said Adam, it may seems bold but actually Adam was feeling sad, a lot is dying or disappearing, the feeling that something dangerous is being prepared is increasing to a level making Adam stressed all the time.

"The sun will set soon, we must find a good place to camp.", Said Jaxith while walking with Irene and Senka in the forest.

"We can camp here.", Said Irene while pointing at a specific location.

"Clearly visible, not safe.", Said Jaxith while still walking, Irene looked at him quizzically.

"Clearly visible? And why did you take the forest to reach Duskthorne? The main road would have been quicker.", Said Irene while looking Jaxith in wonder.

"The same reason I didn't like the past location.", Said Jaxith while looking around, Irene thought about what he just said.

"Then what is that reason?", Asked Irene.

"You won't like hearing it.", Said Jaxith boldly, he still looks for a good secluded place to camp.

"Wait, does that have something to do with Lance again?", Asked Irene nervously, Jaxith looked at her while still walking.

"Better keep it like this for now, Irene, no need to know everything I think about, I tend to have many thoughts that may confuse you.", Said Jaxith, Irene looked confused.

"Fine, although I don't like this but okay, soon you'll know you're wrong about all of this.", Said Irene intensely before averting her eyes away ungratified while still walking with Jaxith, Jaxith noticed that her child attitude is returning back, of course it got nothing to do with her kindness, if she felt something dangerous about to happen for him she would feel afraid instantly, that's her personality, her lack of emotions control, the weakness of Irene lays here, that spot that Jaxith wants to change but without changing her kind personality, her pure humanity, he doesn't want her to become like him, not even close.

Back at the warehouse at the east of Ebonmere, Adam was standing before its entrance, the sun was beginning to set.

"According to the people in the places around, all of them saw the guard doing his patrol, his last place should have been here, but he didn't return.", Thought Adam while looking at the warehouse, he looked around at the clean place, not a single clue, the fact that this place was swarming with bodies this morning and all of them burned along with their ashes without leaving a sign for anything done here is a reason enough about the strength of such a dangerous blessing as Bethra's.

"Everything seems so clean, for an abandoned warehouse there should be more dust than this, it's like someone was staying here a while ago.", Thought Adam while investigating the inner walls of the warehouse, he's inside now and walking slowly to detect any abnormal signs.

"I must find anything here, whoever was here must have made a mistake that I will notice, if they were behind the guard's disappearance too then they must have been in a hurry so they got rid of him before leaving the place.", Thought Adam while still investigating the place.

"And about the innkeeper's daughter, if she knows something and hiding it then she might be targeted by them also.", Thought Adam, he was now in the office where John was staying in, he didn't find anything here also and decided to check the dark room (where Irene and Emelia were tied up in).

Adam moved slowly while checking his surroundings well, he stopped and noticed a strange chain nearly molten between other broken chains behind one of the pillars in the room, he walked towards it then kneeled to check it.

"The burns seem familiar, wait!", Thought Adam while widening his eyes.

"That's the same burns like the ones in the first room in the inn, the ones caused by the hybrid.", Thought Adam while looking surprised, he looked to the other pillar and noticed other chains, he investigated them but they were normal.

"The hybrid was here, but not alone, the same people behind Orstone's incident? But what about the hunter? I got a feeling that what happened at the inn is directly related to this warehouse.", Thought Adam.

Adam continued searching all the warehouse for an hour, the night was closing in and the light in the warehouse became so weak, Adam didn't find anything useful except for the chains, he's now in the cellar where John used the shard and killed Edward without acknowledging what he was doing.

Adam found that the cellar was dark and it was impossible to find anything under this condition, so he raised his right hand and immediately it shined silver illuminating all the cellar!

That's not divine magic, Adam isn't a divine caster, it's his spiritual energy, he's using the power of Guiscard, his bound spirit, to brighten up the place.

"That's better.", Thought Adam before starting to investigate the cellar, but again nothing was suspicious except that there wasn't any dust in the cellar which further proves his theory that the warehouse was hosting some people lately.

Adam stayed like that for a moment before finally he noticed something between some crates!

Adam walked closer towards the crates while thinking about what could that thing be.

Adam started separating the crates away from each other until the piece of cloth stained with blood fell on the ground, Adam kneeled to pick it up.

"A piece of cloth stained with blood, and it's not old, probably yesterday or a day before.", Thought Adam while inspecting the cloth.

"And it's not a common fabric, that's Kozelsk silk, only the nobles can afford clothes made from it, seems like someone was really cleaning in a hurry, the guard saw something he shouldn't have seen, only what's left to know what really happened, and that involves the innkeeper's daughter.", Thought Adam before standing up then taking a look at the piece of cloth.

"I hope the owner of the blood is registered in the Register of Citizens at the church.", Thought Adam before putting the piece of cloth in his coat's inner pocket.

Night already had fallen, it's nearly pitch black at Akreman forest this time, the light of the moon was the only source of light now, a faint illumination.

Irene was sleeping calmly around a small campfire and small pieces of meat close to the fire, rabbit meat probably, she was beside Senka who was sleeping just beside her, she was covered with a cover, everything was calm and normal except for one minor detail, where's Jaxith?

Jaxith wasn't around although his blanket was beside the fire, he usually sleeps while sitting to focus on every move around, especially after what happened at Ebonmere he should be more careful, Irene is a target for a very dangerous people.

Between the trees of the forest and the silence of the night, one person was looming like he was lost, but in fact he wasn't, he was searching for something with a sword in his hand.

"I can't believe I've accepted to search for a beast that killed all the squad with Shisk, I hope any of the others stumble upon him instead of me.", Said the strange looking man who was wearing a light armor, he was still walking calmly while being bent slightly to avoid getting seen.

Suddenly he noticed the fire from distance between the trees, the place where Irene is sleeping in.

"Or I might be lucky and inform the boss that they're really here and heading for Duskthorne as he told us, I just need to make sure that it's really them.", Said the strange looking man before he took exactly two steps forward before he suddenly felt something moving behind him that made him turn around immediately.

"Who's there?", Asked the strange looking man while looking intensely around and raising his sword in a defense position.

A few seconds passed before another quicker movement alerted him, he looked towards the direction from which the movement was heard.

"Messing with wrong people her, kids, show up.", Said the strange looking man in worry while turning to another direction before suddenly he found himself bumbing into someone's muscular chest, he tripped while stepping back from the strength of the person he bumped into before he found himself falling in a deep pit dug in the soil, he panicked and noticed that it's so narrow and just enough for him, the pit was about 9 feet deep.

"HEL-", The strange looking man was going to shout before someone's scary voice stopped him.

"SHHHHHHH.", Said a cold voice before revealing himself over the pit, it was Jaxith!

"Oh no, please spare me.", Said the man in fear.

"I told you to lower your voice once, if your voice disturbed the girl's sleep I'll make sure that hell will be paradise from what I'll be doing to you.", Said Jaxith while kneeling down to look at the man at his mercy, he's back to his cold look with his terrifying red eyes, the man felt that his heart was going to stop from fear, he just nodded positively.

"Good, now tell me, are you one of Alphonse's men?", Asked Jaxith while looking boldly with his cold emotionless stare.

"Y-yes.", Said the man in fear, he can't control his fear and terror from Jaxith's cold behavior, especially that he knows that he's the dangerous hunter.

"Why is he following the girl?", Asked Jaxith.

"I-I don't know, I'm just doing my job, h-he ordered some of us to look for you in Akreman forest as he thinks that you're heading for Duskthorne.", Said the man while trembling from fear.

"Why does he think we're going to Duskthorne?", Asked Jaxith.

"I don't know too, you can leave me to go and I promise I won't tell Mr. Alphonse about what happened, I swear no one will hear about this, I got two kids to feed and a wife.", Said the man desperately while dropping his sword.

Jaxith coldly looked at him before his right hand moved to the ground and hold something fastened to the soil.

"Pray for someone to help them then.", Said Jaxith in a very cold tone that made the man's eyes widen from fear and just before he tells anything Jaxith pulled something out of the soil and immediately all the soil that was dug out on the side of the pit was moved back inside the pit while getting pushed by a wooden log!

Jaxith literally buried the man alive and everything went silent, Jaxith stood up and looked at the place where the pit was in.

"The best way to silent a man is to stuff his mouth with something.", Said Jaxith coldly before walking back to Irene like nothing happened!