Somebody Stop Them [Chapters 6, 7]

Chapter 6: Karma

Emerald Stratos was very annoyed this morning. No, annoyed was too small of a word for what she was feeling. She was absolutely perma-on-dragonfire livid.

Nothing was going her way.

Emerald glared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror of her Inn room. Her ruby scales were dull, lacking their usual luster despite an hour of polishing. Whatever bullshit potion had been spilled on her head from a mage tower's window made her look like a total knob.

"Where the eff is my delver card?!" She snarled, upending her bag for the fifth time that morning. Everything spilled out - potions, magic bracelets, gold rings, extra weapons, but no bank card. She was certain that the card was in her wallet this morning, which was in her pants pocket.

A knock at her door made her tail lash in irritation.

"What?!" She growled.

"Hey Em," Solace's voice called through the door. "You've been in there for like an hour. Are you okay?"

"Do I sound okay?!" Emerald snapped. "This shit won't come off and I can't find my effing delving bank card!"

"Oh," Solace said. "Well, umm, there's this new cafe that opened up recently - Lord David's Lighthouse Smithy? They're offering free lattes and breakfast discounts for first-time customers. I could treat you?"

Emerald's stomach growled traitorously. She hadn't eaten since yesterday, too busy dealing with one misfortune after another.

"Fine," she grumbled, yanking the door open. "But this better be good."

Emerald growled at the Inn maid in the hallway, stalking down the stairwell with Solace trailing behind her. "And why is this place called a Smithy if it's a cafe?"

"Maybe they forge their own cups or something," Solace shrugged. "I dunno. It's like a converted smithy or somethin'?"

They found Quint waiting downstairs in the garden, looking as pristine and proper as ever.

"Finally," he said, checking his pocket watch. "I was beginning to worry..."

"Shut it," Emerald snapped. "I'm not in the mood for..."

A passing flock of pigeons chose that exact moment to unleash their payload directly onto her freshly polished armor and scales.

"ARGHHHH!" Emerald roared, dragonfire erupting around her. The pigeons scattered from the flash of dragonfire that obliterated the nearby bushes.

Quint and Solace winced.

"Don't. Say. A. Word." Emerald gritted through clenched teeth.

The trio made their way through Shandria's morning streets. Emerald's day continued to get worse - she stepped in what appeared to be enchanted bubblegum that multiplied every time she tried to burn it off.

A street vendor's cart mysteriously lost a wheel just as they passed, sending a cascade of rotten fruit rolling directly at Emerald. She tried to dodge but slipped, landing face-first in a pile of overripe melons.

"I swear to the Abyss," she snarled, dragonfire burning away chunks of fruit. "Someone jinxed me!"

"Don't ya got an anti-jinx hex colla, Em?" Solace asked.

"Yes," Emerald snarled. "Obviously I freakin' do, ya dum beerch! Except it's not doing shit."

A window above them opened and an old lady dumped what appeared to be week-old fish soup directly onto Emerald's head.

"Oops!" The elderly woman called down. "Sorry dearie! Didn't see you there!"

"THAT'S IT!" Emerald roared, flames erupting around her. "I'M GOING TO..."

Emerald looked at the building above, scraping soup-chunks out of her face. Then she choked. There wasn't even a window up there anymore. Just solid brick wall. Her eye started to twitch.

"Look!" Solace pointed quickly. "There's the cafe! Come on!"

Emerald steamed with dragonfire burning away the soup chunks

Lord David's Lighthouse Smithy Cafe was an odd establishment - part lighthouse, part forge, part coffee shop. Emerald looked left and right suspiciously before she sat down next to her Wendigo partner and only remaining kobold.

"I bet it's him doing this somehow," she growled.

"Who?" Quint asked.

"That bloody nullie!" Emerald snarled far too loudly. "Who does he think he is? Walking around like he owns the place! I'm going to effing murder him!"

"Now, Em," Quint offered. "Let's not be too hasty. Think it over, relax. We have..."

Emerald considered breaking Quint's legs, but then this would leave her with only Solace and Quint was technically their substitute Instructor. She held her rage in just barely.

"I don't give a shit what we have, Quint!" Emerald slammed an armored first into the table, making it wobble precariously. "He needs to die! He needs to be deported ASAP! He's a human! A HUMAN, Quint!"

"Are you sure?" Solace asked.

"Obviously I'm sure, you bloody beerch knob!" Emerald snarled. "Scrutimancer Davosh investigated him from every possible angle! He's not who he claims he is!"

"Humans can't..." Solace started.

"I don't give a shit what humans can't or can do," Emerald waved her arms. "You're all useless imbeciles! I'm going to STOP HIM myself if that's what it takes! Someone has to stop him before he gets his pink scrawny limbs into Cinder! She's my Bard! SHE BELONGS TO ME! She's not his thing to paw at!"

"It is rather odd. I didn't think that Ci would be into humans," Solace, yawned with her round forehead mouth.

"Me neither and yet here we are! You, cafe maid!" Emerald barked, visually locating an owlkin cafe maid. "Triple frap stat! What do you knobs want? Hurry up and order, we have dungeon monsters to smite!"

The owl-kin cafe maid blinked her large yellow eyes slowly at Emerald's outburst, white and black skirt fluttering.

"I said TRIPLE FRAP!" Emerald snarled. "Are you deaf as well as slow?!"

"Em..." Solace started. "I know you're having a bad day, but there's no need to take it out on the locals."

"And make it snappy!" Emerald continued berating the maid. "I don't have all day to wait for your tiny bird brain to process a simple order!"

The owlkin's feathers ruffled slightly, wind spiraling around her ever so slightly, but she maintained a professional demeanor. "Of course, ma'am. Would you like any..."

"Did I ASK for options?!" Emerald cut her off. "Triple frap! Now! Before I burn this entire place to the ground!"

As if on cue, a passing adventurer tripped, sending his coffee directly into Emerald's lap.

"ARGHHHH!" She roared, jumping up as the scalding liquid soaked through her armor. "YOU EFFING..."

The chair she'd been sitting on chose that moment to collapse, sending her crashing to the floor.

"THAT'S IT! I'M GOING TO MURDER EVERYONE IN THIS ESTABLISHMENT!" She roared, flames shooting from her mouth and mane. "EVERY! SINGLE! ONE!"

"Em, maybe we should..." Solace started.

The owlkin maid tensed up, a wind sword forming in her hand. "Mam, I'd appreciate it if you didn't threaten our staff or clients. This isn't a tavern to brawl in."

"SHUT UP!" Emerald snarled. "SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!"

She stepped away from the sword-wind-armed maid.

She saw that other maids seemed to wielding mid-tier magic too. Other clients pulled out their swords and magic staffs, pointing them at Emerald.

There were too many well-armed adventurers at the damned cafe. Emerald chose to retreat strategically, memorizing everyone's faces to murder them later when greater numbers were on her side.

She stormed out of the cafe, leaving scorch marks on the ground with each step. Her armor was soaked, her scales were still dull, and now she smelled like burnt coffee.

Children called her names and threw rotten apples at her, but before she could smite them, they vanished amidst the crowd.

Arriving back at the Inn, she collapsed into bed. The pillow burst into flames from her rage and an anti-fire hex activated overhead dousing her with questionable, smelly foam.

The foam-covered Lindworm stormed into the delving preparation room downstairs, her rage literally burning the anti-fire foam off her scales.

"We're going delving!" She declared to Solace and Quint. "I need to kill something! Anything!"

"Are you sure that's wise?" Quint asked carefully. "Given your recent string of... misfortunes?"

"What's the worst that could happen?!" Emerald snarled, yanking open her locker. "I already smell like an effing garbage fire!"

"Em, maybe..." Solace began.

"That was rhetorical, idiot!" Emerald snapped. "We're going! Now!"

The wild fields outside of the city seemed peaceful. Too peaceful. Emerald glanced left and right.

Then she heard a distant rumbling.

"What's that sound?" Solace asked, her round forehead-mouth opening wide.

Before anyone could respond, a herd of Thundersnargs - massive, antlered beasts that looked like a cross between an elk and an ant-eater - came charging over the hill directly at them.

The herd slammed into Emerald and her companions like a living lightning storm.

The massive beasts crashed through their group, static electricity crackling between their antlers. Emerald tried to dodge, and slay the monsters but there were too many.

The creature's electrified antlers cast a thunderbolt at her armor. The first thunder blast was absorbed by her shields, as was the second, but the twentieth one fried the gemstone collars and armor, sending thousands of volts through her body.

"ARRRGHHHHH!" She screamed as the herd thundered past, leaving her twitching on the ground, smoke rising from her armor.

"At least we got one," Solace said cheerfully, holding up the beast core she'd harvested from the Thundersnarg she'd managed to take down.

"Shut. Up." Emerald growled through clenched teeth. Her second armor set was completely fried, the protective runes burned out.

Her dragonfire refused to ignite, the electrical overload having temporarily short-circuited her ability to produce flames.

They approached the Cathedral Adventurers Guild, Emerald limping slightly from electrical burns.

"See?" Solace said encouragingly. "Nothing bad has happened for at least twenty minutes! Maybe your luck is turning around!"

"Don't jinx it," Emerald growled.

They entered the Guild hall, making their way to the core evaluation desk. Sister Antiqilla looked up from her paperwork as they approached her desk.

"Good day," she said carefully, accepting the beast core from Solace to trade it for silver. "I see you've had an... eventful delve?" She glanced at the smoking Emerald.

"Has Alexander Glock registered at the Guild yet?" The red dragon girl demanded.

"Afraid not," Secretary Aquila shook her head. "I already told you that your team Captain will be updated by Voicecast when he does."

"See?" Emerald spun to Quint. "He's avoiding registration on purpose! He doesn't want to be exposed as a pathetic level zero human!"

"Emerald," her boyfriend sighed. "You've been obsessing over this all day. Even if he is human, which I doubt, he still managed to display magic skills at the duel. Maybe we should just..."

"Just what, Quint?" Emerald snarled. "Let him get away with it? Let him make a mockery of everything we stand for? He's charmed his way into everyone's good graces, and now he's avoiding Guild registration because he knows that'll expose him!"

"Or maybe," Quint said carefully, "he's just busy with his community service project in Undertown."

"Community service?!" Emerald's eyes flashed dangerously. "What community service? Seriously, how stupid are you Quint? Sol, back me up! Tell this knob what Undertown is."

"It's a criminal district," Solace said. "Full of thieves, murderers, and Topaz addicts. Nobody does 'community service' down there."

"Exactly!" Emerald loudly smashed a clawed fist covered in magisteel on the secretary's desk. "He's obviously lying! Probably buying Topaz and booze down there!"

"That seems... unlikely," Quint said diplomatically. "Father Matthias vouched for Alexander personally. And his work with the Slayer's Cathedral..."

"Is obviously fake!" Emerald interrupted. "Just like everything else about him! His records, his identity, his supposed mixed heritage - it's all lies!"

"Oh come on," Solace rolled her gold eyes. "You're just mad because he made you look bad in front of everyone in class."

"Made me look bad?!" Emerald hissed. "He humiliated me! Used artifacts n' trickery to beat me! And now everyone's treating me like I'M the villain! I'm not! I'm the good one here!"

"To be fair," Quint said carefully, "you did challenge him publicly..."

"Because he's a FRAUD!" Emerald roared, smoke curling from her ruby hair. "A human infiltrator making a mockery of our school! And now he's corrupted Vespera, Cinder and Io! He's been screwing with me somehow all day long! Every time I try to go outside the Inn, something happens!" she continued ranting. "I get hit by falling flowerpots, slip on banana peels, get waste dumped on me from windows, get buried in fertilizer! It's like the universe itself is conspiring against me!"

"Maybe that's a sign, Em," the red-flesh-flower-face girl suggested dryly. "You know, to chill out? Before something... really bad happens?"

"CHILL OUT?!" Emerald's voice rose to a screech, her scales blazing like hot coals. "DID YOU JUST TELL ME TO CHILL OUT?! While that lying sack of human filth runs around free?!"

"Excuse me," A dark foxgirl with flowing black hair in a leather dress covered in blue gems said politely but firmly, interjecting herself into their conversation. "You're holding up the line with your incessant screeching. Lord David needs to register his party."

Emerald spun around, coming face to face with an elegant-looking vulpine woman. Behind her stood a ginger haired, ginger bearded blue-eyed human in a gray robe - presumably Lord David. A dragoness wielding a massive hammer stood beside him, her scales flickering with orange and violet colors. Something in the way the girls scales changed color reminded Emerald of her lost kobold Cinder.

"How dare you interrupt me!" Emerald barked at the dark fox. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Someone who's clearly very worked up about a particular human," the foxgirl said smiling with sharp chompers, blue eyes twinkling with blue and silver. "And who's preventing other adventurers from conducting their business."

"I'm not worked up about..." Emerald choked, the words of the fox reminding her of how Alexander Glock behaved. "I am Emerald Stratos!" She barked even louder. "Prima Heiress of the Stratos Omnicorp!"

"Uh-huh. Cedez Astra," the foxgirl replied, giving Emerald an unimpressed glance, a dark halo flashing over her head. "The Sovereign of Shandria."

"You're... a what?" Emerald blinked, her rage momentarily derailed.

The foxgirl couldn't be the Sovereign. According to what she learned in delving class Shandrian history from Instructor Zalimar... Shandria was ruled by High Lords and its last Sovereign died about two decades ago.

"Heir Apparent of the Shadow Empire crown," the dark fox repeated calmly. "And you're causing a scene in my Guild hall. Kindly piss off before I ban you from my city."

Emerald sputtered, her mind racing.

This had to be some kind of joke, a trick. Things were falling into a pattern. The damned human must have paid off these twats to harass her. David didn't look like a Lord in his simple gray robes. He looked tired, like a man that had been trampled by the same Thundersnarg stampede. This was obviously just a group of actors, another way to annoy her! That's how the blasted human was avoiding triggering her anti-hex rune! Hired help!

"WHAT?! You can't ban me!" Emerald let out as the years of her mind spun. "You're not... you can't be... You're full of shit, lady! Shandria doesn't have a Sovereign!"

The words left Emerald's mouth before her brain could catch up. This had to be another trick, another scheme cooked up by that insufferable human to torment her. First the jinxes, then the "accidents," and now this? Some random foxgirl claiming to be Sovereign? Ridiculous!

But then something changed in the air. The temperature dropped several degrees. The foxgirl's blue eyes flashed with silver, and a dark halo-crown materialized above her head.

"Oh? Is that how it's going to be?" The fox asked. "By the power invested in me by the Crown Tower Arcane, I hereby BANISH Emerald Stratos and her party from Shandria."

The words hung in the air. Emerald's mind reeled. This couldn't be happening. This had to be another trick, another scheme. That Shadowcrown was basic Shadowmancy at best! Deception!

"WHAT?!" Emerald boomed. "You can't..."

"I just did," Cedez said. "You're annoying me. You and your party have one hour to gather your belongings and leave the city. If you're still here after that, the Watch will escort you out. Less pleasantly."

"This is outrageous!" Emerald snarled. "I demand to speak to..."

"To whom?" Cedez tilted her head. "The manager? That would be me and I just told you that you three are banned. You made a scene in Lord David's cafe this morning, being rude to our staff. Now you're making a scene in our Adventurers Guild. That's two strikes and you're out."

"M-My father will hear about this!" Emerald declared, her mind burning from within with absolute rage. This wasn't happening! None of this was supposed to happen! She was Prima Heiress of the Stratos Omnicorp! People didn't just... banish her from Guilds! Obviously this was more of Glock's bullshit, a way to get her out of the Guild.

"Oh, please do tell Daddy Stratos that his precious daughter got banned from Shandria for throwing a tantrum in public," the dark fox's fluffy tail swished. "Too much cheek. You're still here? Still being an annoying twat? Let's up the banishment then. You're hereby banished from Illium, Nocturna, Umbria, Starveil, Gloomhaven, Duskhollow, Rustspring, Ebonspire, and Tenebri."

Emerald's mind raced, her thoughts a chaotic inferno of rage and disbelief. This wasn't happening. COULDN'T be happening. First that insufferable human infiltrator making a mockery of everything, and now this? Some random foxgirl claiming to be Sovereign, trying to banish HER?

No. She was Emerald Stratos. Prima Heiress. She wouldn't be dismissed like some common knob!

Something snapped inside of Emerald. She had enough of today, reached her boiling point.

Her armored fist shot forward with devastating speed, magisteel claws aimed directly at the foxgirl's crystalline heart. She'd show this imposter what happened to those who dared challenge her authority. One quick strike, one dead "Sovereign," and everything would go back to...

The dragoness' magisteel-covered fist punched clean through Cedez's chest, tearing through her leather dress and going through the space where her heart should have been. The sound of ripping leather and crunching crystal gems echoed through the Guild hall.

"No one..." Emerald snarled, smoke curling from her ruby hair, her scales blazing with triumph, "tells me what to do! Especially not some fake Sovereign playing dress..."

Her words died in her throat as she realized something was very wrong. There was no blood. No resistance. Her fist had gone through the foxgirl like she was made of air.

Cedez looked down at the fist protruding from her chest with mild curiosity, as if examining an interesting piece of artwork.

"What?" Emerald's voice came out as a strangled choke. Her mind reeled, unable to process what she was seeing. Her fist had gone straight through the foxgirl's chest, but there was no blood, no viscera, nothing but a strange spilling dark shimmer in the air where her hand passed through. Shadow-like smoke poured from the hole.

"You heard me," Cedez said with an icy-cold voice, dark crown-halo pulsing above her head. "One thousand years dungeon. For assaulting the Heir Apparent. Maybe I should make it ten thousand years? What do you think, M'Lord?"

Cedez turned to Lord David, her vulpine features splitting into a predatory grin. The dark halo above the fox's crown winked away.

"W-why aren't you dead?!" Emerald's mind was spinning, her thoughts fracturing like shattered glass. This wasn't possible. None of this made any sense. Her claws should have torn through flesh and bone, should have ripped out this pretender's crystalline heart. Instead, her armored fist had passed through the foxgirl like she was some kind of ghost. There was nothing inside her to crush. No organs, no muscles, no bones. NOTHING AT ALL.

Emerald yanked her fist back, her mind desperately trying to rationalize what was happening. This had to be another trick. Like everything else today - the accidents, the "mishaps," the humiliations. It was all connected!

"Guild Sister Antiqilla," Cedez glanced at the Secretary. Emerald saw that the dark fox quickly tied more dark leather straps around the hole, stopping more shadowy stuff from escaping. "I do believe that this adventurer just assaulted me. In your Guild. Punched me through the chest, trying to pulverize my crystalline heart. While loudly asking why I'm not dead."

"GUARDS!" Antiqilla's voice cracked like a whip through the Guild hall. "ARREST THIS GIRL!"

The response was immediate and overwhelming. Two burly Watchmen flashed next to Emerald, their armor gleaming with enchanted runes of strength-reinforcing and suppression. Each stood nearly seven feet tall, their helmeted faces betraying no emotion as they moved with practiced efficiency.

The guards' massive gauntleted hands clamped down on Emerald's arms, red triangular logo of the nine-eyed Shadow Empress Nox gleaming on their helmets.

"Let go of me!" Emerald thrashed violently against the guards' iron grip, her ruby scales flashing with impotent rage. Her tail whipped back and forth. "Do you have any idea who I am?!"

"A violent criminal who just attempted to murder someone in broad daylight," one of the guards growled, his enchanted armor humming with suppression magic that dampened Emerald's dragonfire. The crystalline eyes in his helmet gleamed with cold authority. "In the Adventurers Guild no less. In front of hundreds of witnesses and a Kitlix Infix."

"I do believe that's a collaring," the second guard added with a grin. "For life."

"Yep," the first guard nodded.

"But... but she's fine!" Emerald protested frantically, her voice rising to a desperate screech. The foxgirl was standing there completely unharmed, examining the ragged tear in her leather dress with the mild irritation of someone whose favorite outfit had been ruined. Dark wisps of shadow-stuff still leaked from the hole where Emerald's fist had passed through her chest, curling and dissipating in the air like smoke. "She's... she's not even bleeding! There's nothing inside her! She's not real! She's... Not alive!!!!"

"Attempted murder is still a crime," Cedez replied with a predatory grin that looked exactly like the smile of Alexander Glock. "Afraid you're going to the coal mines, darling."

Quint and Solace were saying something but Emerald wasn't listening anymore.

"You can't do this!" Emerald flailed as the guards dragged her towards the door. "I'm a Stratos! Solace! Help me take down these knobs! My father will have this entire damned city leveled for this!"

"Be silent," the guard ordered as he snapped a slave collar over Emerald's neck.

A cold sensation spread from the collar around Emerald's neck, like ice water flowing through her veins. Her connection to dragonfire - that constant warm presence she'd known since hatching - suddenly vanished.

The familiar heat in her core winked out like a candle being snuffed, her scales dulling to dark red and gray.

Chapter 7: Scrutimancer Weps

Scrutimancer Weps adjusted his magitek spectacles as he reviewed the Infix Kitlix Viewcast provided by Sister Antiqilla, the glass orb projecting ghostly images above his desk.

He made several notes in the case file, occasionally tapping Questik. His Infix Kitlix twinkled with cyan sparks every time he did.

Victim: Foxkin Cedez Astra. Attacked by Subject Emerald Stratos in Adventurers Guild.

Cedez Astra: Snail Cafe Maid. Likely survived through artifact use. Known mid-tier level Shadowmancer. Currently employed by Lord David, a new noble in Shandria with no local history. Third witness was Smith dragoness Remicra Ognemerska and had a full history as property of Lord Burgundy, currently subleased to Lord David for 'dungeon exploration' according to Overseer Pricci Destrie.

Claims of "Stratos" heritage by perpetrator Emerald Stratos. Unable to verify claim.

Possible Gold Dragon God Empire connection. Unable to verify.

Multiple references to human delver "Alexander Glock" by perp. No Guild registration. Unable to verify claim.

Diplomatic immunity claim by perp. Unable to verify claim.

Slave collar deployment suggests high threat assessment by Watch.

There was nothing but holes in this case.

Scrutimancer Weps rubbed his temples, closing the case file with a weary sigh. The whole situation reeked of political complications he didn't want to deal with. Let the troublemakers cool their heels in the cells for a few days while he focused on more pressing matters.

Like the series of mysterious artifact thefts from the Guild vaults. Or the concerning reports of unauthorized portal activity in the Lower Reaches. Or the...

The door to his office burst open with enough force to rattle the shelves of case files lining the walls.

Arch-Guild Enforcer Legarth Wixoff stumbled in, his massive frame somewhat oddly diminished without his signature magisteel armor.

"Weps!" Legarth bellowed. "We have a situation! A catastrophic situation!"

"Yes?" Weps asked, looking up at the bulky man wearily. "What situation? Why didn't you just call me? Where's your Voicecast bracelet?"

"Not working! Sitting in a fridge! It's DUSKBLOOM, Weps!" Legarth roared. "All of Undertown district is being overrun! Some madman released bags full of the parasites from the Gloomy Horse Guild tower. The walls between Abystall dungeon and Undertown are breached by explosive magic!"

"What?!" Weps sputtered. "Slow down. Start from the beginning. Where's your armor? Why aren't you in uniform, Enforcer?"

"My magisteel armor is locked in a cold room too!" Legarth lamented, looking disheveled and tired. "Thirty thousand silver worth of enchanted armor, contaminated by those accursed mites! I just got out of the tunnel, Watchmen Stekafrak had to blast me with an ice spell for ten minutes after I pulled everything magically off me to make sure I'm clean! All tunnels between Undertown and Shandria have sealed automatically due to the doomsday siren!"

"Who released the mites?" Weps asked, his Kitlix twinkling as it recorded. "What were you doing in Undertown?"

"A job for the bankers," Legarth said. "I was.... extracting a group of Adventurers per order of High Justice Luborkand."

"Show me," Weps said.

The Scrutimancer's Kitlix climbed onto Legarth's shoulders and placed a paw on the big man's forehead. In another minute the Kitlix rushed back to his owner and tapped his head. Scrutimancer Weps went pale.

"By the Shadow Empress," Weps breathed as he processed the memories from his Kitlix. "This is... catastrophic. The entire district..."

"That's what I've been saying!" Legarth exclaimed. "We need to mobilize the Watch, quarantine..."

"Already happening automatically," Weps cut him off, tapping his Kitlix to consult the Astral, his mind racing. "Undertown is already sealed except for the single choke-point exit which has been secured by Ice mages and high level Watchmen. But that's not what concerns me most."

"What could be worse than a Duskbloom outbreak?!" Legarth demanded.

"We can't stop a Duskbloom outbreak, you know that. Undertown is to be quarantined. All we can do now is find and punish the people responsible," Weps said grimly. "This 'Quartermaster' you encountered. Describe him to me again."

"Young human male, early twenties perhaps," Legarth recounted. "Dark hair, casual manner, seemed almost amused by the situation. Claimed that the Duskbloom was released by dragoness named Emerald Stratos... Claimed that Emerald is from another world."

"Another world? It's not possible to open gates to other words from Arx." Weps frowned. "Although... there's an Emerald Stratos in one of our cells now. She attacked a foxkin in the Adventurers Guild."

"A dragoness in our cells?" Legarth blinked. "That's... convenient."

"Indeed," Weps nodded, his Kitlix's ears twitching as he nervously tapped his familiar. "And this human claimed she was responsible for the Duskbloom release?"

"Yes. Said she set up dimensional bags full of mites around the Gloomy Horse Guild tower as some kind of... prank. Because someone from Undertown insulted her."

Weps' frown deepened. "That matches her behavior pattern. She did just assault someone in broad daylight for questioning her authority."

A knock at the door interrupted them. A junior Scrutimancer entered, looking flustered.

"Yes, Xistin?" Weps asked.

"Sir," Junior Scrutimancer Xistin said breathlessly, holding up a yellow folder. "Documents just arrived from Undertown. Found in the office of Grand Moloch Arkenish."

"The Topaz den owner?" Weps accepted the folder, his Kitlix climbing down from his shoulder to peek at the contents. "The Moloch?"

"Yes sir. According to the adventurer who brought these to the choke-point, Arkenish was found... deceased in his office. Heart attack. Probably couldn't handle the fact that all of his Topaz supply was about to get eaten by Duskbloom," Xistin revealed. "The documents detail extensive connections between Arkenish's operation and... Lord Zalimar."

"Zalimar?" Weps' eyebrows shot up as his Kitlix rushed over the folder.

"Yes sir. According to these records, he's been supplying Topaz to Undertown for years." Xistin nodded. "And according to this paperwork... Lord Zalimar is a necromancer, one who's been operating in Shandria for thousands of years!"

Weps paled further. Questik rushed over the papers.

According to what Questik sensed, the paper was written by an orphan from Undertown. A list of names. Teenage delvers dying under suspicious circumstances in cycles of approximately one to fourteen years each.

"Her Shadow," Weps swallowed. "If this is true, then we have just exposed their entire network."

Xistin nodded.

"We need evidence to confirm these statements," Weps once again ran over the names on the paper. "Go to the Gilded Gryphon Inn and verify if dragoness Emerald Stratos rented a room there in cycles of 1.6 years over the duration of... two hundred and fifty two years."

Xistin nodded and hurried out.

Weps slumped back in his chair. His Kitlix paced anxiously on his desk, dark edges glinting in light cast down by Iglix Kitlix.

"Sir?" Legarth asked carefully. "What's going on?"

"Something big," Weps said grimly. "Much bigger than just a Duskbloom outbreak. It seems that some luck came from this catastrophe. The death of the Grand Moloch and this report exposed a centuries-old criminal enterprise of Topaz smugglers. One that's been operating right under our noses."

The heavy iron door creaked open as Scrutimancer Weps entered the windowless cell, his magitek spectacles glowing faintly in the gloom. The cell was cold, damp, and reeked of mold.

Emerald sat hunched in the corner. The prisoner's ruby scales were dulled with grime. The gray prison robe hung loosely on her frame. She looked pale and gaunt.

"Miss Stratos," Weps said coolly, unfolding a stone seat from a wall to sit next to the prisoner. "I trust you've had time to... reflect on your actions?"

Emerald looked up, her gold-orange eyes filled with tears. The slave collar around her neck pulsed with a sickly red rune, suppressing her magic.

"Please," she hissed, her voice hoarse. "You have to believe me. That... that fox-woman. She wasn't normal. She had no heartbeat, no blood..."

"No blood," Scrutimancer Weps repeated, adjusting his spectacles. "Yes, you've mentioned this several times. Along with repeated claims about a human infiltrator named Alexander Glock and mysterious accidents plaguing you which caused you to attack Miss Astra at the Adventurers Guild?"

"It's all connected!" Emerald lurched forward, only to be yanked back by the chains binding her to a wall. "He's behind everything! The accidents, the fox-woman, all of it! He's turning everyone against me!"

"And who exactly is 'he'?" Weps asked.

"Alexander Glock!" Emerald snarled. "Or whatever his real name is! He showed up at Skyfall Academy claiming to be a half-Thunderbird, but he's human! Just a pathetic, magic-less human who somehow managed to trick everyone!"

"Skyfall Academy?" Weps raised an eyebrow, scratching his gray scales. "I'm not familiar with this institution. Where exactly is it located, Miss Stratos?"

"In... in Leviathan's Cradle," Emerald faltered, stumbling over her words. "Near the Dreadspine National Park..."

"Miss Stratos," Weps said carefully, "there is no academic institution by that name in the Shadow Empire. And I've never heard of these locations you mention."

"It's not in your stupid Empire! I'm from Earth, you bloody knob!" Emerald growled.

"Earth?" Scrutimancer Weps repeated, glancing at his Kitlix who flashed green.

"Yes!" Emerald exclaimed, hope flickering in her eyes. "I'm not from here - I'm from Omnithornia! My father is Lord Stratos, head of the Ruby Dragon Clan! We're interdimensional delvers!"

"Interdimensional... delvers," Weps repeated. "And you came to be Shandria how?"

"Via the Earth-Arx gate!" Emerald strained against her chains. "In Instructor Zalimar's classroom! But that human bastard banished Instructor Zal into some doomed dimension and now..."

"So," Weps said. "You're claiming there's a permanent gate to another world in Shandria?"

"Yes! No! I mean..." Emerald slumped, struggling to focus. "The gate only opens during delving class on Fridays for two hours! Time moves differently here - two hours on earth is a week in Shandria!"

Weps' Infix Kitlix still glowed with green. No deception detected.

"Tell me more about this... Alexander Glock," the Scrutimancer said.

"He's a liar and a cheat!" Emerald snarled. "He's wearing like a whole bunch of hexasuits! And he's got this AI thing, one that helps him manipulate everyone! He's turned my friends against me, made everyone think I'm crazy!"

"I see," Weps said, making notes as his Infix Kitlix sparkled. "And what is an AI thing?"

"Artificial Intelligence! It's like a network that can draw fake images and stuff! It's human tech, not magitek. Computers n' stuff!"

"Uh-huh."

Weps tapped his Kitlix. A projection of financial data manifested in his lenses. Numbers and graphs glowing with an eerie blue light.

[Priority alert from Scrutnet. Unusual financial activity confirmed. Large quantities of unknown magically potent fluid being sold across Shandria. Individual drops selling for as much as 1 celesteel card each. Source of fluid cited as: Emerald Stratos.]

Weps stared at the chained Lindworm.

"Miss Stratos," he said. "Would you care to explain why you're selling some kind of questionable magical fluid across Shandria?"

"What?!" Emerald sputtered. "I haven't bloody sold anything! I've been locked in this damned cell for days!"

"Not in person, obviously," Weps said, adjusting his spectacles. "But according to our Scrutimancy, someone has been selling an extremely potent magical substance from unknown origin."

"The F does this have to do with me?"

"According to the receipts, a percentage of the money is going directly into your delver account Miss Stratos," Weps said.

"WHAT?!" Emerald barked. "MY ACCOUNT?! HOW?!"

"You've been quite a busy dragon Miss Stratos," Weps continued, scrolling through data in his spectacles, "Making substantial investments. Buying up Topaz warehouses now that the land they're sitting on is worthless. Was it your plan to devalue the land by releasing the mites?"

"I didn't buy anything!" Emerald howled. "I... I lost my card... or someone stole it! What mites?!"

"Who exactly stole your card?"

"Alexander Glock! It has to be him!"

"Yes, this mysterious human you keep mentioning to us," Weps said dryly. "Who infiltrated Skyfall Academy, defeated your instructor with a lighter, and is now apparently running a criminal empire in your name. Riiiight."

"YES!" Emerald strained against her chains. "Finally, someone understands! You have to help me stop him!"

"Miss Stratos," Weps stood up, his spectacles glowing ominously. "Let's review what we know. You arrive in Shandria, scream at cafe maids, hostile a whole bunch of people in town, attempt to murder someone in broad daylight in the Adventurers Guild, claim diplomatic immunity, threaten to destroy the city, and now we discover you're running an illegal substance operation and unleashing parasitic plagues on Undertown."

"No! That's not..." Emerald protested. "I didn't unleash any mites! What are you on about?!"

"Furthermore," Weps continued, "when confronted, you spin an elaborate tale about being from another dimension, involving mysterious humans, non-magic technology, and some nonsense about temporal dilation. Do you take me for a fool?"

"I'm telling the truth!" Emerald thrashed against her chains. "Don't you imbeciles have truth-telling magic? I see that Kitlix glowing green!"

"The Infix merely indicates you believe what you're saying," Weps said coldly. "Not that it's true. Delusions can read as truth to magical detection."

"I'm not delusional!" Emerald roared. "Check my memories! Use your scrut-sight or something!"

"We did," Weps adjusted his spectacles. "My Kitlix went over your memories while you were passed out earlier. Your memories are... corrupted. Fragmented. Likely magically modified. You think that you are also a... superhero from a non-magic world called the Earth, named Ember Kilborne."

"No," Emerald paled. "That's not... that's impossible. I'm not..."

"Due to this, truth spells cannot work on you. You are mentally unwell. Your memories show you as both a wyrm from Earth and a human superhero also from Earth," Weps continued mercilessly. "We found extensive damage to your psyche. Multiple personality disorder. Delusions of persecution. Paranoid fantasies about humans infiltrating Omnithean society, whatever that is."

"I'm not crazy!" Emerald cried. "He did something to me! He... he pushed me into the Lazarus well! That's when I started to have these... thoughts of being someone else!"

"Someone else?" Weps leaned forward, spectacles glinting. "You mean this... Ember person? The superhero?"

"How do you..." Emerald's eyes widened. "Yes! Those memories... they're not mine! That jerk did something to me when he dunked me in the Genesis Pool!"

"Genesis Pool," Weps repeated. "Magic that can print people, right? Another fascinating detail. Tell me, Miss Stratos, do you often have thoughts of being someone else? Of living other lives?"

"No!" Emerald snarled. "Only since he... since that bloody human..."

"Since this imaginary human pushed you into an imaginary pool that somehow gave you memories of being a... superhero," Weps finished. "Do you realize how mad that sounds?"

"I'm telling you the truth!" Emerald strained against her chains. "Check my delver card! It has my stats, my ID, everything! I'm an Omnid from Earth, damn it! I came here through your stupid Arx Bank!"

"Ah yes, your 'delver card'," Weps said coldly. "The one currently being used to purchase large quantities of real estate in Undertown? The one linked to multiple sales of an unknown magical substance?"

"That's not me!" Emerald howled. "I don't... I didn't..."

"There are witness-signed reports," Weps continued, ignoring her protests, "of you hiring mercenaries to detonate tunnels between Abystall dungeon and Undertown using unknown means. Deliberately spreading Duskbloom parasites across an entire district."

"WHAT?! I swear I didn't do anything like that!" The dragon girl howled.

"Causing mass panic, property damage, economic disruption," Weps continued listing off charges. "Tax evasion. Topaz Smuggling. Conspiracy to commit dungeon-spreading..."

"IT WASN'T ME!" Emerald screamed, her chains rattling. "I've been locked in this cell! How could I possibly do any of that?!"

"Through your well-paid intermediaries, obviously," Weps stated. "Our intelligence suggests you've assembled quite the criminal organization. It would help my case if you confessed the names of your associates."

"What?! WHAT CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION!?" Emerald choked, her eyes filling with tears. "I don't have any criminal associates!!!"

"Unfortunately, you're clearly disturbed," Weps continued as Emerald sobbed. "Suffering from severe delusions and paranoid fantasies. The amount of damage you have done to Undertown is incalculable. You've doomed thousands to their deaths through magical deprivation, devalued all currency stored in Undertown vaults."

"Please," Emerald sobbed. "I'm telling you the truth. Just... just contact my father. Lord Stratos. He'll vouch for me! Abyss, talk to Quint! He's our delving Captain! He's working as temp substitute for Instructor Zalimar!"

"Ah yes, this mysterious 'Lord Stratos' from another dimension," Weps said dryly. "Tell me, how exactly should we contact him? Through your imaginary gate inside the Arx Bank?"

"Y-yes!" Emerald cried. "I... talk to that catgirl... ugh... what the Abyss was her knob name...?"

"Gabriella?" Weps offered.

"Yes!" Emerald seized on the name. "She knows about Earth! About the gate! About..."

"Miss Matrosin has no knowledge of any interdimensional gates," Weps cut her off. "In fact, she claims you threatened her life when she refused to assist with your criminal enterprise."

Something shattered in Emerald. How could the Banker say that?! The dragon girl fell on her knees, bawling.

"He's done it again. Somehow. he's... changed everything!" The dragon girl wailed.

"Changed what?" The Scrutimancer asked. "Do these names mean anything to you? Sarah Nisteroff," Weps read from his notes. "Elek Rodrigov. Marcus Chennik. Thomas Willard. Petv Yavna. Olga Kcasnik. Datri Volk..."

Emerald froze, her scales paling to an ashen gray.

"I see that they do," the Scrutimancer. "Why did you kill these children Miss Stratos? Why did you lock Sarah Nisteroff outside of her Inn room at night?"

"I... I didn't..." Emerald stammered, her voice cracking.

The Kitlix flashed red.

"Well, at least I caught this lie," the Scrutimancer smiled. "So, what did you do to Sarah Nisteroff?"

"H-how did you a-about Sarah?" She trembled.

"Memories in your head. Plus, these murders were confirmed by scanning the area with Kitlix Infix. Sarah... was the last one to die by your hand over a year ago. You left her outside for the Shadows to chop her up, didn't you?"

"No!" Emerald wailed, watching as the Kitlix flashed red. "That's not... I didn't mean to... She was just a stupid nullie! A weak, pathetic... She... she didn't actually die! The Genesis bracelet brought Sarah back... she transferred schools, that's all!"

"Did she?" Weps asked quietly. "Or is that just what you tell yourself to sleep at night after you murder teenage adventurers?"

"Z-zalimar... Instructor Zalimar Evernacht... he... he told me to do it!" Emerald cried.

"Zalimar told you to do it," Weps repeated. "This instructor you claim was banished to another dimension by a human infiltrator?"

"Yes!" Emerald seized on this. "He... he said that nullies needed to be taught their place! That they were weakening our bloodlines! He... he gave me special tasks... to make them leave Skyfall..."

"And these 'special tasks' involved murder?" Weps pressed.

"No! I mean... not directly," Emerald sobbed. "Just... making their lives difficult. Making them want to leave. They're... they're not dead! You have to believe me!"

"Right," Weps exhaled. "Because a magical fluid can bring them back? In another dimension?"

"Yes!!!" Emerald nodded vigorously.

"Here's the problem with your story," Weps said. "We do know Lord Zalimar Evernacht. Several warehouses worth of Topaz have been uncovered in Undertown linking to his business as the people fleeing from Duskborn have confessed their crimes to be permitted past the barriers. Here's what I think happened - Necromage Zalimar used an insane dragon girl to murder the children of his enemies. Do you know what's the penalty for working with a Necromage is, Miss Stratos?"

"W-what?! Topaz?! Zalimar isn't a Necromancer he's... a Koshei!" Emerald whimpered. "I didn't know... about the Topaz thing! I was just following orders..."

"Following orders," Weps repeated coldly. "Like a good little murderer. Ordinarily, we would slap a lifetime labor sentence on you, but there are important people who owned property in Undertown and now desire to see you dead."

"D-dead?" Emerald swallowed.

"Yes," Weps nodded. "Tomorrow morning in the afternoon, you will be publicly executed for collaboration with a Necromancer. I will permit you to choose your last meal."

"No," Emerald whispered, her scales completely pale. "No, no, no... This can't be happening. He... he did this. Somehow. Alexander... he set me up!"

"Still clinging to your delusions about a human boy who can't use magic?" Weps sighed, standing up. "Sad, really. Your mind created this elaborate fantasy to avoid facing your own crimes. Humans on Arx can use magic just fine. The evidence is quite clear - you worked with a Necromancer to murder children for over two hundred years, then went mad and destroyed Undertown."

"I didn't..." Emerald's voice cracked. "Please... just... just check the Earth-Arx gate! Talk to someone at Skyfall! There must be someone who can verify..."

"Enough," Weps cut her off. "The execution will be at noon tomorrow. You will be served steak and potatoes tonight. That is all. Goodnight Miss Stratos."

Scrutimancer Weps walked down the gray stone corridor, his footsteps echoing off the ancient walls. The dungeons beneath the Watchmen's headquarters were old, dating back to the founding of Shandria. Perfect for holding dangerous criminals and those who collaborated with Necromancers.

He reached another heavy magisteel-reinforced door. The guard posted outside nodded respectfully and unlocked it.

Inside, a very odd creature named Quint Thornton sat on a simple stone bench, his skull-face illuminated by the dim glow of Kitlix lanterns. Unlike Emerald, he seemed calm, composed - almost unnaturally so.

"Good evening, Mister Thornton," Weps said, conjuring another chair from the wall. "I trust you've found your accommodations... adequate?"

"They're exactly what I'd expect from a medieval dungeon," Quint replied dryly, his skull-face impossible to read, bony antlers nearly scraping the low ceiling. "Though I must say, the food could use improvement."

"Interesting," Weps adjusted his spectacles. "Miss Stratos claims that you're her... Captain and mate?"

"Ah," Quint's hollow eye sockets flickered. "I see you've been speaking with Em. How is she holding up?"

"Poorly," Weps said. "She seems to be suffering from severe delusions. She will be executed tomorrow morning. You can lighten your sentence if you confess your crimes now."

"Executed?" Quint's skull-face remained impassive, but his voice held a note of genuine surprise. "For what crime exactly?"

"Collaboration with a Necromancer," Weps said. "Murders of children. Destruction of Undertown. Take your pick."

"I see," Quint said carefully. "And you believe she did all this while... being locked in your cell?"

"Mister Thornton," Weps said, glancing at the text displayed on his glasses. "What were you doing fourteen years, six months and five days ago?"

"Fourteen years ago?" Quint's skull-face tilted slightly. "I would have been... four years old, I believe. Why?"

"Scrutimancer Xistin just interviewed the Inn Maiden working at the Gilded Gryphon Inn," Weps continued. "She provided quite interesting details about Sarah Nisteroff's death. Would you care to explain your role in it?"

Quint's skull-face remained perfectly still. "Sarah transferred schools. She didn't die."

"Did she?" Weps leaned forward. "Or is that just the story you helped create to cover up her murder? The old Inn Maiden remembers your group quite clearly. You haven't aged a day. What sort of an undead abomination are you? Do you serve Necromage Lord Zalimar Evernacht?"

"I am not undead," Quint said carefully. "And I don't serve anyone. I am the Student Council President of Skyfall Academy."

"Ah yes, this mysterious academy that doesn't exist," Weps commented. "Tell me, what exactly is a 'Student Council President'? Some kind of necromantic title?"

"It's an elected position," Quint replied, his face twitching slightly. "Students vote for their representatives who then..."

"Spare me your fantasies," Weps cut him off. "Just answer one question, Mister Thornton. Do you serve Zalimar Evernacht? Do you follow his orders?"

"I don't serve Zalimar," Quint said firmly. "He is simply our delving instructor, yes, but..."

"Do you obey his orders or not?"

"I... follow school protocols," Quint said carefully. "Which includes following Instructor guidance during delving activities."

"I see," Weps glanced at his green-tinted Infix Kitlix. "And when Instructor Zalimar ordered you to kill children, do you obey?"

"That's not..." Quint's skull-face remained impassive but his voice wavered slightly. "You're twisting things. We never killed anyone."

"No?" Weps pulled out a crystal sphere. "Perhaps you'd like to see what really happened to Sarah Nisteroff?"

The sphere activated, projecting ghostly images into the air. A teenage girl running through dark streets, terror on her face. Living Shadows moving in the red-tinted gloom. Screaming. Blood.

The crystal sphere showed the Shadowbeast methodically dismembering Sarah, starting with her extremities. Her screams echoed through the cell as the projection continued in gruesome detail.

Quint's skull-face remained impassive, but his hands gripped the edge of his bench so hard the wood began to crack.

"Stop," he said quietly. "I get your point."

"Do you?" Weps asked, not deactivating the sphere. "Because according to our investigation, you were there that night. At the Inn. With Emerald Stratos and Solace Exill," Weps continued. "Confirmed by the Inn maiden."

"Sarah transferred schools. She's alive." Quint said, his voice tight.

"Keep telling yourself that," Weps finally deactivated the sphere. "The Inn Maiden remembers you. Remembers all three of you. She watched from the window as that poor girl was torn apart. She reported it fourteen years ago, but we didn't have a lead back then. Now we do. The destruction of Undertown is making all sorts of interesting evidence crawl out of the woodwork."

Quint remained silent.

"Tell me, Mister Thornton," Weps leaned forward. "How many other deaths have you helped cover up? How many other children has your group murdered for Zalimar for over two hundred years?"

"I want a lawyer," Quint said quietly.

"A what?" Weps blinked.

"A legal representative," Quint's skull-face remained impassive. "I refuse to answer any more questions without one present."

Weps tisked. "I'm afraid legal representatives aren't available to those who serve Necromancers, Mister Thornton. Your execution is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, right after Miss Stratos. Would you like to choose your last meal?"

"This is absurd," Quint's skull-face twitched, orange eyes flashing left and right. "You can't just execute us without a trial."

"Actually, we can," Weps smiled thinly. "The law is quite clear regarding those who collaborate with Necromancers. No trial needed. The evidence speaks for itself. A potion of living death was likely used on you and your associates to awaken you in cycles of 1.6 years to commit murders and other crimes."

"I see," Quint's skull-face remained perfectly still. "And I suppose confessing would somehow reduce my sentence?"

"Perhaps," Weps adjusted his spectacles. "If you collaborate useful information about Zalimar's operations. The locations of his Topaz warehouses. Names of his other agents. Names of the people currently using your girlfriend's delving card to make properly purchases."

"I don't know anything about Topaz warehouses or property purchases!" Quint said. "And I maintain that Sarah transferred schools."

"Still clinging to that story," Weps sighed. "Very well. Your execution will be at at the same time as Miss Stratos. What would you prefer for your last meal?"

"Nothing," Quint said quietly.

"Suit yourself," Weps stood, his spectacles glinting. "Though I must say, your lack of cooperation is... disappointing. Miss Stratos at least had the decency to break down when confronted with her crimes."

"Em is... emotionally volatile," Quint let out. "She tends to overreact to situations."

"An interesting way to describe a mass murderer," Weps commented. "Tell me, does working with a Necromancer usually make one 'emotionally volatile'?"

"For the last time," Quint's voice held a hint of frustration, "we don't work with Necromancers. We're students at Skyfall Academy. Everything else is just... misunderstandings."

"Misunderstandings that led to a girl being torn apart by Shadowbeasts?" Weps asked. "You and your gang have been operating longer than I have been alive. Your crimes have finally caught up to you. Goodnight, Mister Thornton," Weps turned to leave. "You shall be served steak and potatoes for you last meal. I'll see you at noon tomorrow."

Scrutimancer Weps made his way to the final cell. Inside, Solace Exill sat cross-legged on the floor, her red skin grimy.

"Miss Exill," Weps unfolded another stone chair from the wall. "I trust you've had time to reflect on your situation?"

The red-skinned girl looked up at him with gold-yellow eyes.

"Let me guess," she said flatly. "You're here to tell me I'm being executed tomorrow for working with a Necromancer."

Weps' spectacles flickered with surprise. "How did you...?"

"Vibration through the ground," Solace shrugged. "I heard everything you said to Em and Quint. About Sarah. About Zalimar. About the Topaz warehouses."

"I see," Weps said. "So, do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"Defense?" Solace smirked bitterly. "What's there to defend? You won't believe anything we say anyway. You've already decided we're the servants of a Necromancer."

"The evidence is quite compelling," Weps said. "The Inn Maiden's testimony. Reports from Undertown. Your group's apparent agelessness. Your connection to Zalimar's Topaz operation..."

"Have you considered," Solace interrupted, "that maybe we're telling the truth? That we really are students from another dimension? That there are things happening here that you don't understand?"

"Like what?" Weps asked.

"Like the fact that time moves differently between Earth and Arx," Solace said. "Like the fact that the Arx Bank has been running an interdimensional drug operation through Zalimar Evernacht and are now trying to cover their tail by lying to you?"

"Nonsense," Weps scoffed. "The Arx Bank is a respected institution, why would it assist a Necromancer with Topaz distribution? You're clearly trying to deflect blame for your own crimes. Next you'll tell me that some human infiltrator named Alexander Glock is behind everything."

Solace stared up at the Scrutimancer with wide, gold eyes.

"You don't get it," Solace shook her head slowly. "We're not the bad guys here. We're the idiots who got played. All of us. Even Em. Especially Em. Damn it Em."

She rubbed her face with her red hands, yellow dull claws digging into her scales, her flesh-maw petals twitching.

"Played by whom?" Weps asked.

"By Zalimar mainly," Solace sighed. "He used us. Used our dislike against mixed-blood students. Made us think we were special, chosen. Elite. Pure. But really... we were just his enforcers. His thugs. Keeping order through fear while he ran his... other operation."

"Go on," Weps leaned forward.

"Sarah..." Solace's voice momentarily trembled. "I... bullied her, yes. I tried to make her leave school. But Em... Em took it too far. Locked her out, got me drunk on Shadow wine. I'm a dumb knob, okay? I admit it. Zalimar encouraged the bullying. Said it was our duty to keep the bloodlines pure."

"And you believed him?" Weps asked.

"Of course we did," Solace laughed bitterly. "The mixies were an easy target. Zalimar made us feel special, powerful. But really... we were just tools. Idiots. Patsies."

"The Topaz trade," Weps stated.

"Yes," Solace nodded. "Zalimar controls dimensional gates to a plethora of worlds with his gate-weaving spiders."

"Gate weavers?"

"He has these special spiders," Solace continued, her voice hollow. "Gate Weavers. They can create permanent dimensional gates. He clearly used them to move Topaz between worlds. The Arx Bank likely provides the distribution network."

"And this... Alexander Glock?" Weps pressed. "What's his role in all this?"

"I don't freaking know, okay!" Solace shook her arms. "I... I don't want to die! He's just a half-blood student from our school that Em is mad-obsessed with!"

"Mad-obsessed?" Weps repeated.

"Yes!" Solace exclaimed. "She's totally lost it over him! Claims he's a human infiltrator, that he's turning everyone against her, that he's behind everything bad that happens to her. But really... he's just a mixed-blood kid who stood up to her a few times!"

"And where is this Alexander Glock now?"

"I don't know! Last time I heard from him, he called us from Undertown! Said he's doing... charity work there!"

"Charity work," Weps repeated skeptically. "In Undertown? The criminal district currently being devastated by parasitic mites? You do realize how insane this sounds?"

"Of course it sounds insane!" Solace threw up her hands. "Everything about this situation is insane! We're being executed for crimes we didn't commit while the real criminals are probably laughing their asses off!"

"The real criminals being?" Weps pressed.

"Zalimar! Who won't be back... to Arx for three years, if Clint is to believed. Plus whoever has Em's delving card!"

"And why won't he be back?" Weps asked.

"Because delving team 'I love you' banished him into some doomed dimension!" Solace exclaimed and then choked as Weps gave her a look.

"I love you?" He repeated. "A delving team named 'I love you' banished a Necromancer into another dimension? Do you really expect me to believe this drivel?"

"It's the truth!" Solace protested. "Alexander Glock's team... they challenged Zalimar to a duel and won! I think... That's why Em is so obsessed with him - he humiliated her idol!"

"Enough," Weps stood up. "I had hoped you might actually cooperate and provide useful information, but clearly you're as delusional as your companions and your memories cannot be trusted. Interdimensional gates are impossible. Your execution is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, same time as Miss Stratos and Mister Thornton. Would you like steak or chicken for your last meal?"

"Wait!" Solace cried, her eyes filling with tears. "Please! I... I just want to go back home! Wait..." She gulped. "W-what's going to happen to my body?"

"Your body will be burned to ashes and your heart core will be donated to the Ward of Shandria," the Scrutimancer said. "This dark bracelet which we were unable to remove from your hand... will be stored as case evidence in our deepest catacombs."

The red girl's gold eyes bulged, both of her mouths opening wide. "No. Please!!! I don't want to die here! I... I just want to mod my bikes and punch Vee in History Club! Please!"

"Mod bikes?" Weps shook his head wearily. "Punch Vee? Sadly, this delusion cannot be arranged. Your execution will proceed as scheduled. Steak and potatoes will be served shortly."

"Please..." Solace sobbed. "I can take you to the Earth-Arx gate! It's in the Arx Bank!"

"There is no interdimensional gate inside the bank," Weps said. "Prolonged exposure to necromantic magic, the unnatural extension of life with the potion of living death has addled all of your minds, driven you mad."

"We're telling the truth!" Solace cried. "Just... just check the Bank! Interrogate Gabriella! She knows about Earth! She..."

"Miss Matrosin has already provided a statement," Weps said. "She claims no knowledge of any interdimensional gates. Only that your group attempted to extort her. Dimensional gates can only move between Arx cities."

"Please..." Solace slumped against her chains as Weps turned to leave. "Just... investigate the Arx Bank. Please!"

The Scrutimancer was already up.

The heavy door slammed shut with grim finality, leaving Solace alone and sobbing in the darkness.

Once the footsteps of the Shandrian Officer faded out of her range of ground-vibration hearing, Solace heaved and spat out a silver token from her forehead mouth and rapidly tapped it

"Vespera Summi. Team I Love you Slayer," she whispered, voice trembling.

She hoped, prayed that the Thunderbird didn't hate her, wouldn't abandon her ex-bestie to perma-death just because they had a bit of an argument a few days ago over clan allegiances.

A face flashed on the holo-projection woven from silver sparks. It wasn't the face she was expecting to see to beg for aid.

A human stared back at her.

Alexander Glock.