Investigation

Eden and I were walking back to the inn where Roman was waiting. None of us said a word.

As we approached the inn, I felt a pair of eyes behind me, and I stopped in place. Eden, who didn't say a word, seemed to also notice it.

The street was empty, so we didn't have to worry about anyone watching. The smell of jasmine intensified.

Then four cloaked figures appeared around us; they had a crest drawn on them. A single silver fang in the middle of two large gates.

I stood back, ready to attack them. However, even before I could do anything, Eden came closer. "Crouch."

She commanded, and I did so instantly. In one fluid motion, she spun, and a circular wave of solidified blood erupted from her hands, lashing out in all directions.

Three out of the four figures dodged it. The one who got hit fell back but tried to recover; I took the chance and aimed an air bullet in his direction and attacked.

He fell back, and Eden dashed towards him, ready to strike, but two figures appeared, blocking her attack.

She grunted in frustration as the final vampire bypassed me completely, lunging for her back. I used the momentum to get up and dash at the same time, forming air slashes around him. But I was too late, and he blocked the attacks.

Eden saw that behind her, and in one smooth motion. She moved her hand as her eyes flashed red. And the figure behind her had his head cut clean. And it turned into ash.

The other three looked at each other with anger. Then, a brutal white light came in a flash. Cutting the heads off the two vampires that had blocked Eden's attack.

Roman appeared, his sword a blur of glowing afterimages. He looked at the last vampire on the ground. "Who are you?" He asked.

The vampire started crawling back on the ground, then put his hand in his cloak. I felt magical energy around him; he was trying to burn something.

"Roman, don't let him!" I tried to warn Roman, but it seems like he already got it.

The vampire was dead, and Roman crouched down and looked for what he was trying to burn.

Eden fixed her hair. "I didn't expect them to find us this fast. They had the Albescu family crest, but they usually aren't active in Nerton."

Roman then took a scroll and started reading it. "I don't think they were after you two. It seems like they were trying to follow orders and found you two on the way." He handed the scroll to Eden. "Can you understand this?"

Eden took it and looked at the letters, which seemed like gibberish. "It's decoded with magic. You probably have to get an experienced mage to read it."

Roman nodded, then clapped his hands together. "Guys, try not to get into any more trouble, okay! I am not going to be here all the time to save you." He smiled.

"..." Both Eden and I looked at him with an unexplained expression.

After that, we went to the inn and slept for the day. In the morning, we moved towards the duke's manor.

It was situated in the middle of the city, in front of a statue of the duke. I looked at it and noticed that some parts were made out of gold and other rare materials.

Moving closer to the manor, a guard stepped in. "Stop right there; this is a prohibited area."

Roman then pulled out an object from his pocket; it was made from iron, and engraved on it was a perfect, six-sided crystal being shattered from within by a point of light. "We are here for an official investigation. Seal off the manor from everyone; let the guards be outside as we do our work."

The guard froze, then bowed. Gesturing at the gate, "Welcome, knight of the Froste family."

We started getting inside; as we did, I looked at the symbol in Roman's hands. He noticed my glance and then said, "They are low-level guards who work for the duke and the kingdom; most of us family-specific knights are ordered officially for jobs that require more than staying in place."

"Why don't they just apply to become a knight in a family?"

Roman looked at me as if the answer was obvious. "They don't have magic. And even if they did, they have to be good at using it; if not, then they will just be regular guards."

"But isn't training them better? Think about it: the more numbers and the more you train, the better the forces." I replied.

Eden didn't mind us talking, as her eyes kept looking around.

"No. That would be a waste of resources. It's more efficient to focus on the gems you can see rather than sifting through endless dirt hoping to find a few more."

We walked up to the manor's door. "I think that's stupid."

Roman laughed and opened the door to the big hallway. "If you think so."

Walking inside, Eden and I stopped. She then said, "I sense ritualistic magic."

It seems that night creatures are more sensitive to rituals.

Roman explained. "Of course, from what Sir Gilbert said. He wanted to become a vampire, but he didn't investigate more; that's why Solfrid sent me here. Can you figure out where the ritual is coming from?"

Eden let the color hiding her eyes fade, and her crimson gaze swept across the room. "Is there a basement in this place?"

Roman thought about it. "It seems so; however, I am not sure how to get there. Okay, guys, let's separate! Look for any hidden entrance."

I nodded, then we all separated. I went to the top floor with Roman, while Eden stayed on the ground floor. I went to the Duke's office, where papers were thrown on the table and blood was spattered on the window behind him.

"..." I looked for the papers, but they were just regulations and stuff for or from the capital. From the info I have about the duke, he never had children or a wife.

I went to the bookshelves, looking at what he had read. Everything seemed new and untouched. I was starting to give up, but then I was flipping through a book and found a paper tucked inside.

I went on to read it.

"To sever a human soul and graft it onto an undead essence. Effectively forcing vampirism. That's what you taught me, but please, I beg you. Reply, I want to make sure everything is perfect. I already told a gang to get me the materials needed from a forest near Carleone, but they haven't replied yet. I am going to meet a sage soon, and I am terrified. Do I really need the materials from a high-ranking beast, or are there any alternatives? Please reply; you haven't said anything for weeks now. Please, Wonder."

It seems to be incomplete and written in a hurry. Wonder, is that who the duke was trying to write to?

However, more importantly. Sending a gang to get materials, I was sure that those were the Redguard gang, and it lines up with what Conall told me about Eden's mission and reason for killing their leader.

So Lord Winfield discovered a gang hunting on his territory. He must have thought it was a direct provocation and ordered Eden to eliminate their leader, not knowing that the duke of Nerton was doing something much more sinister.

I heard footsteps and looked towards the door to see that Roman walked in. "Did you find anything?" He asked.

I nodded, handing him the paper. He took his time reading it.

"Someone by the name of Wonder was helping him; what do you think?" I asked.

Roman put the paper in his pocket and stayed silent. "Not sure. It's even more suspicious because of how he got in power, appearing out of nowhere and becoming the duke in just a few years. I feel like this was staged, and whoever the person helping him was played a big role in it."

Eden, on the ground floor, looked at a portrait of a man with a receding hairline. Then Roman and I walked down the stairs. "Did you find anything?" Roman inquired.

Eden nodded, then pointed at the kitchen. "There's a secret chamber hidden there."

Roman smiled. "Let's go then!" He walked towards the kitchen.

I noticed that Eden was still looking at the picture and asked, "What's wrong?"

She stayed silent for a bit before replying, "Immortality is not a flattering pursuit." She looked at me. She followed behind to the kitchen.

I stood there, looking at the portrait she was holding. I stayed silent for a bit before following them into the chamber.

Inside the dark place, there was one oil lamp lit on the stone wall. The room was small and bare, save for a single, intricate circle of runes etched into the stone floor. The three of us stood still, looking at it.

Then I felt my hand moving a bit, and my heart raced. I didn't understand why at first. Then I looked down. Beneath my glove, the ring was vibrating, a low hum I could feel in my bones.

This was the same effect that it had when opening the Ars Notoria. Is it possible that the book and this rune that the duke tried to use share the same origin?