"Halt!"

Marco's voice sliced through the tense atmosphere. Behind him, a group of inquisitors fanned out in formation. Their expressions were stern beneath hooded cloaks.

"By order of the Archbishop of the Order of Velkaris," Marco proclaimed. "I hereby command the arrest of Sonnen, Master of the Arcane Tower of Hafenstadt. On charges of conspiracy, dark rituals, and the summoning of demons!"

The citizens of Hafenstadt, drawn by the battle, watched from a safe distance. Their eyes wide with fear and curiosity.

Marco began to walk slowly toward the group gathered close to the gate. As he drew nearer, he unsheathed his sword with a swift, fluid motion. He leveled it directly at Sonnen, the tip unwavering.

"It would be wise to come without resistance," Marco intoned, his face impassive, eyes cold as iron. "Any defiance would only bring greater harm upon this city."

Sonnen met Marco's gaze with a serene smile. Raising his hands slowly, palms open in a gesture of surrender; he chuckled softly.

"Jamie, we should do something," Thyra whispered urgently.

But Jamie was too exhausted to respond. The events of the past hours had drained him utterly. Instead, he listened to the steady rhythm of approaching footsteps. The clatter of swords and shields grew louder. Glancing around, he could see columns of Hafenstadt's city guards emerging from both ends of the bridge.

'Though they have numbers, these soldiers don't have the levels to face them,' he thought. Many had struggled against the recent onslaughts of monster rushes. How could they hope to stand against twenty battle-hardened inquisitors of Velkaris?

From between the soldiers, Maria von Hafenstadt emerged, flanked by her personal guard. Her emerald-green cloak billowed behind her, and her ebony hair was pulled back tightly.

"Halt right there, Marco," Maria commanded, her voice clear and firm. She positioned herself between Sonnen and Marco, her hand resting on the hilt of a rapier at her side. "You have no jurisdiction to conduct an investigation within our territory."

Marco's lip curled slightly in disdain. "Maria, Maria," he replied with feigned patience. "You are not even the governor of this territory. Do not meddle in affairs beyond your power."

Maria's eyes flashed with defiance. "Regardless of my position, I will not stand by while you overstep your bounds. Moreover, we answer only to Aetheron, the sole recognized church in Hafenstadt."

"Indeed," Marco retorted, his gaze unwavering. "However, we answer to Velkaris. Justice itself."

Jamie observed with amusement despite the gravity of the situation. He could see the subtle tension in Marco's posture. He had a slight tightening of his jaw at each of Maria's counterarguments. The inquisitors behind Marco exchanged uncertain glances. They had not anticipated open resistance, especially with the local soldiers prepared.

'Did they plan this?' Jamie wondered. The timing of the inquisitors' arrival felt too convenient. As if orchestrated to exploit the city's moment of vulnerability.

Thyra and Holz moved to Jamie's side, each slipping an arm under his to help him stand.

"Thank you," Jamie murmured.

"Are you all right?" Holz asked.

"I'll manage," Jamie replied, his gaze returning to the standoff unfolding before them.

Moments later, Thomas and Alonzo approached through the horde of soldiers. Thyra gently transferred Jamie's arm to Thomas.

"We've explained everything to her," Thomas and Alonzo reported, nodding toward Maria. "There are already soldiers protecting the mansion."

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"Excellent," Jamie replied. All he wanted was to leave this chaos behind, to find a moment to rest. But he knew their task was far from complete. Holz's wife was still missing; she wasn't in Lucius's mansion. They needed to find her.

Around them, the voices of the ongoing argument rose and subsided like waves crashing upon a rocky shore. Shouts of accusation mingled with fervent denials, but no settlement seemed in sight.

Amidst the clamor, Maria stepped away from the fray and approached Jamie. "Bard, I need your help," she said, her tone brisk but laced with underlying urgency. "What in the world did you manage to uncover?"

"Only the gods can say," Jamie replied with a weary shrug. The events of the past hours had left him drained and questioning his luck.

Maria drew closer, lowering her voice. "I have an informant who saw Lucius leaving earlier this morning in a carriage," she confided. "It seemed to be a woman with a frightened look and someone else accompanying him."

"My wife?" Holz interjected, hope flickering in his eyes.

"Perhaps," Jamie said.

"I need you to find Lucius and whoever is with him," Maria continued, her gaze intense. "Clearly, this was a setup. He's colluding with the Inquisitors. If they succeed in apprehending the Master of the Tower, we will be even more defenseless. If that's possible."

"Not to mention it would be a fatal blow to any chance of rebuilding the city," Jamie added, crossing his arms. "Without the Arcane Tower's support, our economy would crumble."

Maria agreed. "The merchants would soon flee. And without the revenue from the Arcane Tower, we couldn't sustain our forces."

Jamie frowned, considering the gravity of the situation. "But how are we supposed to find them? Lucius could be anywhere by now."

"I've arranged a carriage and enlisted a ranger to track their path," Maria said. She pointed toward the bustling streets of the Commercial Quarter. "Don't delay. I'll keep the Inquisitors occupied for as long as I can, but I can't hold them off indefinitely."

Jamie and his companions moved toward the waiting carriage, their footsteps heavy with exhaustion. The ranger perched atop the driver's seat, reins in hand, his keen eyes scanning the horizon.

Inside, Jamie sank gratefully onto the worn leather seat. The bard's limbs ached, and his mind was fogged with weariness. He needed a few hours of rest before he could be of real help again. They briefly stopped at the Golden Fiddle to update Eliza and another time at the church to heal their wounds. Now, with their preparations complete, they departed from Hafenstadt.

The carriage set off along the southern road but soon veered eastward. The horses moved at a brisk pace, urged on by the ranger, who seemed intent on making up for lost time. The landscape unfolded before them in a tapestry of verdant forests and sprawling fields. The scenery blurred as they advanced.

Hours passed, marked by the rhythmic clatter of wheels and the gentle swaying of the carriage. The sun climbed higher, casting dappled light through the canopy of trees that lined the road. Eventually, a sharp rap sounded from above as the ranger knocked on the roof.

"We're getting close," his muffled voice called down. "The trail is getting fresh."

Jamie rubbed his eyes, attempting to shake off the drowsiness that clung to him. Despite their visit to the church, where healing magic had mended their injuries, nothing could reduce his exhaustion. Peering out the carriage window, he observed the changing landscape. Fields stretched out on all sides, vast expanses of golden grain swaying in the breeze.

"Where are we?" Jamie asked.

"In the territory of Lord Franco," Alonzo replied, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery. "The Empire's granary."

"Granary?" Jamie echoed, curiosity piqued.

Thyra nodded. "This region is the Empire's largest producer of food. Lord Franco wields significant influence because of this."

Jamie frowned thoughtfully. "What connection does he have with Lucius?"

Thyra and Alonzo exchanged glances, both shrugging.

"We're not sure," Thyra admitted. "But regardless, we need to be cautious. Any misstep here could have fallout at the imperial level."

As they continued, the outline of a modest castle appeared on the horizon, its stone walls rising above the rolling fields. The gates were closed, bearing the crest of Lord Franco.

The ranger guided the carriage off the main road, steering it into a forest patch that offered some cover. Pulling the horses to a stop, he unhitched them, ensuring they were hidden from prying eyes.

"This is as far as we can go with the carriage," the ranger announced as he joined the group. "Ahead, there are soldiers and checkpoints. We don't want to draw unnecessary attention."

He led them through the underbrush, their footsteps muffled by the soft earth. They avoided the well-trodden paths, instead weaving between the towering oaks and dense shrubs.

After a few minutes, they emerged near a small village clustered not far from the castle's outer walls. Simple cottages with thatched roofs lined the dirt paths. Villagers went about their daily routines, tending to gardens, mending nets, and carrying baskets of grain.

The ranger halted. "From here on, it's up to you," he said, his expression serious. "I can't go with you any further without risking exposing myself."

Alonzo looked around, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "And what should we do from here?"

The ranger met his gaze. "Simple," he replied. "Sneak into the castle."

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