The Price of a Child

By the time Silver finished drawing the map from their location to the Academy, Vanessa was playing with the Lynx.

“You just head straight out of the forest and continue on for a few hours.” Silver pointed to the route. Ken’s eyes were glued to it, memorizing every line.

“Your first big landmark is the golden bridge. Cross it, then turn left and keep going until you're at the entrance of Darkspire Kingdom. Once you're at the toll booths, just ask for the route to the Crimson Highlands. The guards will know. Here, take this."

Silver pressed a small, heavy bag into Ken's hand.

“It’s all I brought, but it should easily cover 10 trips from the kingdom gate to the Academy.”

Ken peeked into the bag, his eyes instantly lighting up.

“Ohh, this shiny stuff?! I found tons of it in the forest and brought it back here!”

Ken turned to the floor of his vine shack and waved his hand. The vines parted, revealing a staggering hoard of raw gold beneath.

“Oh my God,” Silver laughed, “you're rich, kid! Listen, definitely bring as much of that as you can when you reach the Crimson Highlands. Find someone, give them a huge chunk, but only if they take you straight to the Academy. Make sure you tell them that, ok?”

“I got it!” Ken agreed as Silver and Vanessa turned to go.

“One last thing,” Silver added, “make sure you say my name at the gate!”

As he spoke, he touched the table, and the snake uncoiled from his arm, slithering to the ground.

Meanwhile, Vanessa held the Resplendent Quetzal on her finger. She gave it a gentle peck on its beak. The bird chirped a happy tune, then zipped through the air to land on Ken’s shoulder.

“I’ll see you guys soon! Bye!! Thanks for visiting!!” Ken shouted, waving wildly. Silver and Vanessa waved back.

As they walked, Silver shook his head. “Who knew there was a kid like this all the way out here in Darkwood Crypt.”

“I had no knowledge of him either,” Vanessa responded. “He must have been born after I began my hibernation.”

A few hours later, they arrived at the Golden Bridge, a name that proved bitterly ironic. It was a flimsy, old structure of dry wood and tattered ropes, swaying over raging waters that fed a distant waterfall. They crossed carefully.

Vanessa gripped the rope railing, feeling the thundering crash of the waves beneath her feet as a few droplets rushed up and flicked her ears.

“ The sounds of the rushing water... the scent floating in the breeze.. It’s all so... beautiful,” she murmured, mostly to herself.

Once on solid ground, they continued their march towards the Darkspire Kingdom, eventually spotting a man on a donkey-drawn cart and hailing him for a ride.

As the cart rattled over the uneven road, Silver and Vanessa finally had a moment to unwind. The constant jolting, however, kept them from sinking too deep into their own thoughts, forcing them to remain aware of each other.

Silver found himself admiring Vanessa. 

He held her gaze a moment too long, making her shift nervously. Realizing he was staring, he quickly looked away, picturing her in his mind instead.

But the image instantly soured.

A violent thought, of him killing her, flashed in his head, his jaw tightening with anger. The rage faded just as quickly, replaced by a wave of sadness, and then a quiet pensiveness.

Vanessa noticed.

“Fare please!” A man in uniform reached out as they approached the tollbooth outside the Darkspire Kingdom.

“Welcome back, Mr. Silver,” the guard smiled with a nod, curiously staring at Vanessa out of the corner of his eyes. Silver nodded back and paid the man.

“You’re Silver?” The cart driver twisted his body like a pretzel, his face lighting up. “I didn’t know I had a celebrity in my cart! We hear about you all the time out in the village!!”

Silver looked curious. “What do they say?”

“Conceited, are we?” Vanessa smirked under her breath as the wizard cleared his throat, letting the matter drop. 

“Don’t you worry 'bout a thing, mister, this ride is on the house!” the driver insisted, waving off Silver's protests to pay as the donkey cart rumbled past the tollbooth and made its way deeper inside.

The Darkspire Kingdom

To enter was to surrender to a realm of permanent dusk. Above, the sky was a mere slit, choked by a forest of sharply-angled rooftops that clawed at the gloom. They cast long, bruised shadows that bled like ink across the worn flagstone streets. The architecture itself was a heavy, unsettling blend; dark, oiled wood wrapped around foundations of blackened stone, their facades covered in carvings so intricate, so dense, that they seemed to writhe in the half-light.

Coiled dragons disappeared under the eaves, their tails re-emerging by a doorway. Blooming spider lilies were carved into the heavy window shutters. Iron-banded doors formed the entrance to every establishment, from the overstuffed markets to the hidden, smoky izakaya where deals were whispered under the red flicker of paper andon lamps.

The air hung thick, a mix of cloying sandalwood incense from a thousand stalls and the sharp, metallic tang of the forges. From somewhere above, the distant, heavy toll of a brass bell echoed, a sound so low it vibrated in the chest, coming from the pagoda like temples that dominated the skyline.

Commerce in Darkspire thrived on the rare and forbidden. 

In the open, merchants peddled enchanted gemstones next to simple protective charms. In the alleys, they'd sell you a cursed artifact if you had the coin.

The kingdom's economy was fueled by desire. The old families dealt in secrets and blood pacts, while the lower classes traded from rickety stalls, offering paper ofuda charms that promised luck and questionable, shimmering potions for everything else.

The people of Darkspire Kingdom kept to themselves, their eyes gleaming with secrets. They dressed in rich, dark fabrics upon layers of heavy silk and dyed cotton that muted their steps as they moved through the shadowed streets. The wealthy favored elaborate, dark robes with high, stiff collars. The common folk wore practical, tied tunics and trousers, but even their clothes had a hint of the arcane: a small charm sewn into a hem, a knot tied for protection. Here, appearance was a tool for survival as much as allure.

“This place has changed, but... some things never change," Vanessa observed, her voice low as their cart rumbled through the busy streets. "I can sense magic in every corner of this kingdom.”

“This area is a popular trade route. It's not a shock there’s so much magic and related junk for sale.” The wizard replied, waving away beggars who had run up alongside the cart, trying to sell him writing pens. “We still have a ways to go, though. We'll be heading through remote areas, unlike this one.”

Silver turned and threw a heavy cloak toward Vanessa.

"Take this. You're wanted in these lands."

Vanessa simply pulled the hood over her head, her face disappearing into the shadow. Silver found her quiet obedience odd, but he let it be. He was just satisfied she hadn't argued.

“The sun’s setting so we should hurry up! My village is just outside this town so we can rest there for the night if y’all are comfortable!” the driver offered 

“We can’t stay the night.”  Silver declined

“Oh but at least have some food with us! My wife keeps mentioning you every chance she gets so I’m sure she’d be happy to meetcha!” The driver insisted.

“How far is the Academy from there?” Vanessa asked as they passed by a peculiar shop filled with vials of all kinds and sizes, radiating colorful hues that lit up the establishment.

“ It’s about an hour and a half from my village to the entrance of the Crimson Highlands.“ the driver responded as Silver observed darkness taking ahold of the heavens, a shade of fading purple on the horizon as the emerging, pitch black darkness mixed with the molten hues of the setting sun

“Well, I guess we have no choice.” Silver sighed 

The driver was ecstatic. He whipped the donkey into action, and the poor animal rushed onward, leaving the town's hustle to recede behind them. They followed a road that led them through rolling fields of barley, bending and dipping until they finally arrived at a small farmhouse.

The driver pulled the cart up to the simple wooden fence, hauled on the reins, and hopped off. He unlatched the gate, jumped back on, and guided the cart inside, parking it near an old hand tiller and a small shed.

“Welcome!” he invited, walking back to close the gate. The farm was modest; a patch of vegetables near the house, some chickens scratching in the dirt, and a small stable for their animals. The driver untied the donkey from the cart and led it to the stable.

Silver and Vanessa followed him as he threw some hay on the stable floor and caressed the animal politely.

“This way!” he called, and they complied, heading toward the one-story wood house. The trio stepped up onto the small wooden veranda, the boards creaking and crying under their weight, owing to the ends and sides of the wooden boards rubbing together.

The driver knocked three times on the doorframe, hollering

“Akiko! Come to the door, quickly! You’ll never believe who I brought with me!”

A minute or so later, the door slid open to reveal a woman who stood there wrapped in a simple cotton yukata, smoking a thin, long-stemmed pipe. Her hair was wrapped in a towel; she was clearly fresh from a bath.

The moment she saw Silver, Akiko went rigid.

The long pipe slipped from her fingers.  Before it hit the floor, the shoji door to the house had slammed shut.

“Kenji you idiot!” her voice, sharp and angry, came from behind the paper screen. “Why didn’t you tell me who was with you before I opened the door?!”

The trio could hear the frantic sounds of rummaging and fabric being thrown around, echoing out onto the veranda. Silver and Vanessa shared an amused look.

Just as quickly, the door slid open again.

Akiko stood there, a completely different person. She now wore a striking, deep black and purple kimono. The fabric was a shimmery silk that glistened as it moved, brought to life by intricate golden crane embroidery. It was tied with a wide, dark obi that paired perfectly with a new pearl necklace. She had the long pipe back in her hand, straddling delicately between her index and middle finger as her left hand hovered near her collarbone, drawing attention to the pearls.

Akiko looked Silver dead in the eyes as she took a slow, deliberate pull from her pipe, blowing the smoke directly in the wizards face as Vanessa and Kenji looked on, expressionless and silent. 

“You were right, he really is a fine specimen!”

Kenji spoke up as the couple engaged in the admiration of Silver's body up close. Silver was obviously uncomfortable, especially when Akiko leaned in close enough to sniff at his abs, but he stayed composed, even as Kenji retrieved a magnifying glass and pointed it straight at his chiseled jawline.

“Shall we go in?” Vanessa broke the tension. The eerie husband and wife finally retreated as they led the duo inside.

A short while later, Akiko had laid out an incredible spread of food on the dining table.

There was Bread served with butter amd cream cheese made from midnight cows, a rare breed with milk that has a slightly bluish hue. In the center of the table, a hearty hot pot bubbled. The star of the dish was the mythical shadow root, a rare plant found only in the darkest parts of the kingdom. The stew was slow-cooked with tender chunks of meat and spiced with earthy herbs that sent up a rich, savory steam, bringing out its rich flavor. 

There were salads of dark greens, strange sweets, and even a drink Akiko called the “Eclipse Colada” a dark and mysterious concoction of sake and magic. Its jet-black hue and blue luminescence shimmered faintly under the dim light, offset by the pure white of the ice cubes floating within the sea of effervescence. The rich, sweet scent of what smelled like coconut and rum wafted up, mingling with the subtle tang of a single, charcoal dusted apricot slice that crowned the transparent glass. 

As Silver took a sip, the flavors unfolded in layers; smooth, dark sake, a surprising warmth, and a lingering sweetness that was as elusive as the shadows in the room, all followed by a rich, earthy effervescence.

“Wow… this is fantastic!” Silver commented as the group began to eat.

“Yeah!”  Vanessa joined in, speaking with her mouth full as she took a bite of the Obsidian bread, dipping it into the cream cheese on the table for added flavour.

Akiko beamed as Kenji began to dig in as well.

“You really outdid yourself today, honey!” he cheered, happily indulging in the shadow root hot pot. Akiko simply sipped on her drink as Silver joined Kenji in enjoying the stew.

The group continued to eat, talking about everything from the town to the academy. Akiko, in particular, was very curious about the Academy and asked Silver all sorts of questions.

“I heard you were only an instructor,” she asked, confused. “What do you mean you’re also a P.I.?”

“Well,” Silver revealed “I used to be a Private Investigator in my past life, before I met Chernobog. He convinced me to come to the Academy, but my only demand was that I could continue this work while also working for him. We reached a compromise, and here we are. In fact, most of the work we do together is related to my P.I. skills, so it was only natural to move our office to the Academy grounds”

“Wow. So you teach, you can fight, and you’re a P.I.?” Kenji asked, slurping up the hot noodles Akiko had made especially for him. “Is there anything you can't do?”

“It’s not much, at least I don’t think so.” Silver humbled himself as Vanessa finished her food and wiped her mouth with a napkin.

“Speaking of mysteries,” Akiko said quietly, “did you hear another kid disappeared? This time it was Sachi's boy.”

Kenji swallowed his bite, his face suddenly pale.

“That’s the third one already!” He slammed his hand on the table, his chopsticks clattering against his bowl.

“What's that? A child went missing?” Vanessa asked concerned. Silver too leaned in, his curiosity piquing.

“Over the last three weeks, a child has gone missing from our village. Always on a Sunday,” Akiko revealed.

“When the first child didn’t return, we thought he’d run away, or maybe had an accident. The body was never found, so we assumed a wild animal had gotten him. But then it happened again the next week. Same day. The villagers were beginning to get suspicious and now it’s happened a third time. We dont think it's a coincidence anymore and everyone's been living in fear and on high alert.”

Silver stroked his chin, his meal forgotten.

 “Is it possible to go to Sachi’s house now?”

“Oh, we’re solving the mystery, are we?!” Akiko grinned at the thought. “Let’s go! I’m sure Sachi would be sick with jealousy to know that I had Silver at my house!”

"Her child is missing, I'm sure she has better things to worry about..." Silver replied

The group stood up, heading out and ready to move. Kenji brought the donkey and cart back around, and as everyone hopped on, Akiko emerged from the house with several paper lanterns, two of which had their internal candles already lit. She handed one to Silver and kept one for herself.

Silver immediately passed his lantern over to Kenji, who held it up to light the path for the donkey. Akiko, looking slightly annoyed, lit another from and handed it back to Silver.

"What about a lantern for me?” Vanessa asked but Akiko ignored her, her petty jealousy of the elf's beauty clear. Silver sighed and handed Vanessa his lantern.

Upon witnessing this, Akiko’s lips thinned as she lit yet another one and handed it to Silver without a word.

“We shouldn’t really be out this late, not with the foxes about,” Kenji muttered as he clicked the reins. “But since Mr. Silver’s here, we'll make an exception! I’m curious too... and I need to give my condolences to Sachi.”

“The kids aren’t dead yet,” Silver cut in, his voice sharp. “Let’s work with that assumption in mind. Our mission for now is to find clues, and we need to be quick, before its too late.” the wizard warned as he pointed out dark storm clouds approaching over the valley in the distance.

"If that storm hits this village before we can find any clues, the chances of evidence being washed away overnight are extremely high.”

"Say no more" Kenji complied, snapping the whip just over the donkey's ears, causing it to break into a faster trot.

Around ten minutes later, the cart pulled up to Sachi's farm. It was clearly more prosperous than Akiko's; the property boasted three stables, a long row of chicken coops with layered nests for a large flock, and a newer, well-kept tiller parked next to a large tool shed

Out near the kabocha patch in her front yard, Sachi was standing alone, staring blankly at a rotten, collapsed squash at her feet. She had come to throw it away, but ended up staring at it frozen in place, thinking about where her son had disappeared to.

She was so lost in her own world that she didn't notice the cart approach the front gate until Akiko called out.

 “Sachi! I’m here!”

The grieving mother was startled, quickly wiping at her eyes. She hurried over to the gate and unlatched it, allowing the group inside. They dismounted the cart and offered their greetings.

“I’m so sorry you have to see me in this state, Mr. Silver. I... I’ve always wanted to meet you,” Sachi said, managing a weak smile through her pain.

Silver just put a comforting hand on her shoulder and gave her a small, reassuring nod.

“Let me reassure you, your son is okay. Don't worry.”

 His deep, gritty tone calmed the grieving mother instantly.

“I’ll help you get to the bottom of this.”

Sachi’s composure finally broke. She let her guard drop and shed a Tsunami of tears, rushing forward to embrace Silver. The wizard, embraced her with empathy and tried to calm her. His handling of the situation showed his experience in this line of work.

“What are you doing?! Get off of him!” Akiko fumed from the sidelines.

Sachi instantly realized what she’d done and retreated, her face flushing with embarrassment.

“It’s okay,” Silver reassured her, his voice gentle. “Just tell me what happened.”

The mourning mother cleared her throat, trying to pull herself together.

 “Two days ago... my son went out to play with his friends, like he did every day. He has specific instructions to come back before sundown, but... he never came back. I don’t even know where he would go! We’ve looked everywhere. He’s not in the village anymore…” She spoke through tattered breaths, grieving at the thought of losing him forever.

“So, nothing out of the ordinary in his routine,” Silver reasoned, "just the fact that he didn’t return. If we didn’t have two other children missing on the same day, 3 weeks apart , this could have been chalked up to an accident. There has to be a hidden hand at play here. Once again, think harder, Sachi. Search for the anomaly. Is there anything else at all out of the ordinary that happened in the last 2 days?” 

Sachi cycled through her memories.

“A couple of the chickens... they died unexpectedly yesterday. And then there's that kabocha.” She pointed to the rotten squash.

“It was fine until yesterday, but now it’s rotting like crazy... We didn't have time to throw it away after... after my son disappeared since we were so busy looking. I was just thinking about throwing that rotten squash away when you arrived. It’s strange that it got rotten so quickly.”

The group's focus turned to the rotting squash.

“Can you show me the dead chickens?” Silver asked.

Sachi turned to the house and yelled for her husband. A moment later, the door slid open and an obese man with a huge belly emerged, quickly tucking his shirt in at the sight of guests. Sachi asked him to bring them the dead chickens, as Silver walked over to examine the rotten squash.

The wizard retrieved his pocket knife and a handkerchief, tying the cloth over his nose and mouth before kneeling by the squash. He used the knife to poke at the rotting mess as a cloud of flies angrily buzzed away from their meal. As Silver was rummaging, Sachi’s husband reappeared with the two dead chickens. He laid them on the ground where Vanessa observed them carefully.

“Their necks... they're bruised blue from the inside it seems..” she commented, pointing at the corpses.

At the same time, Silver, now wearing a thick leather glove, retrieved something from inside the squash. “Well, well. Would you look at this.”

He held up a small, cracked vial containing traces of a faint blue liquid.

“What’s that?” Kenji asked, perplexed.

Silver walked over to a fresh squash and uncorked the vial, dripping a single drop onto its hard, green surface. The skin instantly fizzled and broke down, eating a small, smoking hole in its side.

“Looks like some kind of acid..” Silver reasoned, his mind racing. He was sure he’d seen a similar potion in one of the academy labs.

“That’s not ours!” Sachi insisted, seeing Silver approach the dead chickens.

“Did these chickens take a bite of this rotting squash! Seems like the only thing that could have killed them,” Silver pondered, carefully storing the vial in a case for later inspection.

" Is there an alchemist in this village?” Vanessa asked.

Kenji, Akiko, and Sachi all fell silent. They tried their hardest, but couldn't combine to think of a single person. Their silence was an answer: the perpetrator wasn't a local.

“One thing is for sure,” Silver confirmed his findings, “this was no accident. And that means the other two disappearances weren’t accidents either. It’s possible the assailant lives in the town we passed on our way here.”

“I’m going there right now! My baby might still be alive!” Sachi lunged for a horse tethered near the stable, but her husband caught her arm.

“No, Sachi, it's too dangerous! We didn't have any leads until he got here! I can't lose you too!!”

“Listen to your husband,” Silver joined in, gently taking the reins from the distraught woman.

“I’ll make sure to bring your boy back. You’re right, we’re running out of time so I'll go investigate now. If we wait till sunrise... we'll be too late.”

The wizard swung himself onto the horse, ready to head out.

“Are you just going to leave me here?” 

Vanessa pouted at the thought of being left behind.

Silver laughed, a genuine, gleeful sound.

 “Of course not. Hop on!”

Kenji cupped his hands to form a step to help Vanessa mount the strong, black horse. As soon as she was on, Silver snapped the reins. The horse shot forward like a bullet, galloping in the direction of the town.

Sachi watched them go, her husband's arms wrapped around her for comfort. Akiko and Kenji suggested they all head inside, deciding to give the poor woman company as they awaited Silver and Vanessa's return.

“Do you really think the boy is alive?” Vanessa asked, her voice tight as she hugged Silver from behind, trying not to fall from the galloping horse.

“Considering the time between disappearances... it seems the children are only 'usable' for about a week before our kidnapper needs a replacement. It’s only been two days since the last disappearance so...” Silver thought aloud.

“..he should be fine... I hope. I made a promise to Sachi, and I intend to keep it!”

He snapped the reins, pushing the steed faster. 

Soon the duo arrived at their location, bursting through the town gate, but before they could get any further a voice bellowed "Halt!"

Without warning , a dozen guards, their armor glinting, spilled out from the gatehouse!

Their spears were leveled not at Silver, but at the woman behind him.

"By order of the magistrate"  the captain shouted,  "Seize the elf!"