Fable - Ask A Watchful Peace

[Mihali]

Vel Anir - Vel Aerelos

"My Lord?"​

Mihali stared straight ahead, his expression as blank as marble slate, his eyes unfocused on the thing swinging from the rafters. A dozen sounds echoed around him. Soldiers stepping with heavy leather boots. Wood being moved. The scraping of glass against smooth floor. Conversations, voices and comments about the state of things.

Everything seemed drowned out as the memories flickered through his head.

A splash of blood on the wall barely registered as he thought about that night again. The lash of fire on his side. The pain searing through his whole body. The feeling of his hand being rent and torn. A phantom pain still ached through his side, a constant washing agony that seemed to stall only when he slept. Though that was painfully sparse now.

"My Lord?"​

The words echoed again, and Mihali snapped out of it.

He looked at the man besides him. The face wasn't familiar, but his uniform most certainly was. A guardsmen of course, from the Eastern army. His features marked him as no older than twenty five, but he was already a Lieutenant. An impressive feat in the Guard where merit and achievement mattered more than connections. But then again, many officers had died during the Revolution."I apologize, I was thinking about the...incident."

The Guardsmen nodded as though he understood.

"Of course, My Lord. It's a lot to take in. First Lord Tremir, then Lord Krixus, then Duchess Olery, now Governor Follure. It is troubling to say the least."​

"Troubling." Mihali echoed with a slight frown, looking at the body hanging from the ceiling. The man had been mutilated, cut into pieces and carved to bits. The brutality of it might have shocked some, but the Grand Inquisitor saw something else; a pattern. He frowned for a moment, then looked to the Guardsmen.

"The Vestigare will investigate of course, but Parliament insisted you be informed, and on a personal note I thought you could..."​

Mihali slowly nodded. "Of course, Lieutenant. Our files are yours, you need but ask which."

Which was of course a way of saying; "I'll help you only as much as It helps me".

"T-thank you, Grand Inquisitor."​

The man said, still biting back those nerves. He had likely thought it would be some Agent or Dedicant that would be speaking to him, but Mihali had read the message first. His interest had been piqued, and that had been enough. There was something more than four dead men here, something more than four slaughtered nobles. He just had to figure out what it was.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Life really had a way of making things ironic. A few weeks ago he had left the city to assist Ralene on one of her missions. Of course, that was right after he had secretly...disposed of his father.

He returned to learn that his application for an apprenticeship with the Vigilite had been accepted. An application that had been completely forgotten about in the wake of disposing of his father. Now, he found himself walking through the halls to introduce himself to the head of the department that oversaw things such as stopping murderers...along with the Vestigare.

Alistair's exemplary academic record and efficient field record had made him one of the few candidates that qualified for working with the Vigilite. Most initiates would rather fight with the army, anyway. He had been surprised that he was part of a select few that had applied to work with the Vigilite and the Vestigare.

He arrived at the door he believed he had been told to visit. Alistair was supposed to speak with the head of the Vigilite and introduce himself. The young man had to remind himself to get his nerves under control. The Vigilite was one of those departments in which relatively little was known, and most of it was likely rumor or speculation.

What kind of person was capable of being the leader of such a group? Alistair calmed himself and a stoic masked appeared on his face. He knocked politely on the door, and when he heard someone allow him in, he quickly made his way into the room.

A formal bow was followed by his introduction.

"Hello, sir. I am Alistair Krixus, dreadlord initiate. I have been assigned to work with the Vigilite and assist in any manner you see fit."

Al forced all this out to make sure he did not stumble over his words. He barely stopped to look over his new boss and get a read of him.

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

The office Alistair stepped into was no less impressive than one might imagine the King's own Throne Room to be. Everything was built of carefully crafted and and resplendent with a perfect sheen. Nothing seemed out of place, and at the very end of it sat a massive desk of onyx black, seemingly carved all from one piece.

Behind it Mihali Brandt set down a piece of parchment upon an already open book. He looked every bit as nondescript as could be. His head clean shaved, a heavy cloak worn around his shoulders. The Grand Inquisitor, one of the most mysterious and feared men in the New Republic...appeared utterly unremarkable.

"Ah. Krixus." Mihali said with a nod of his head, as though the young Initiates arrival had been carefully planned out. "Of course."

He did not move to stand. "I am glad you would join us, even after the tragedy that has befallen your family."

The Grand Inquisitor peered at Alistair. His eyes focused on every twitch of the face, every little movement. A fact which he did not at all seem to hide, as though he were taking active measure of how Alistair was doing every second.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"Thank you, sir. My first responsibility is to this city and then to my family."

Alistair responded with a slight bow. The young initiate was known for having a good poker face, but some emotions were easy to pick up for someone like Mihali...Anger, sadness, and determination being the most predominant two. Not uncommon for someone to deal with his father being murdered. Fitting for someone as conflicted as Alistair was about the whole situation.

He was sad that it had come to that. Angry that his father had been such a horrible man. The determination that he would not be like him. He would do everything that his father could not...

"How may I best be of assistance?"

It was almost certain that there were those still investigating his father's death. They would not find anything thanks to Liliana and Elise, but that did not mean they would just stop. The Vigilite might be involved, or maybe the Vestigare. It depended on how the council measured the event.

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

Mihali smiled pleasantly. He knew many men who had made that same claim. Many of whom were now dead, some who enjoyed more power than ever. Briefly the Grand Inquisitor wondered if either of them were happy with their outcomes.

The thought was fleeting, and he smiled slightly as he looked across his desk at Alistair.

"I am investigating the death of your father." The words came with the same level tone as before. Not a hint that anything had changed or anything was known. Yet they seemed to linger in the air just a little longer before Mihali spoke again. "As well as the death of three other men. All of the nobility or men of means."

He seemed to pause, as if musing on something. "When I was informed, I thought of the application you handed in some weeks ago."

"It seemed an opportunity." The Grand Inquisitor said, finally standing up from behind his desk. Light cascading into the room as he stepped away from the huge eye-shaped window.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"An opportunity for what, sir?"

The level tone that he used, the relatively unassuming appearance of the man, the mysterious reputation that he held, and the grandiose nature of the office all added up to continue poking at Alistair's nerves. Never enough to completely subdue his thought process, but always enough to keep him on edge.

"Forgive me for saying. I believe my skills are certainly adequate, or the Proctors would not have let me apply to this position but is there not a concern that I will let my emotions get in the way if I assist in the investigation of my father's death."

The mention of his father's demise was a sore subject for the young man, as he would prefer to ignore it and bury it away for others. However, the death of three more men was certainly surprising. They believed them to all be connected. That was a horrible coincidence...Right?

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

For a few seconds Mihali seemed to grow quiet, pulling himself to the edge of his desk and turning slightly away from Alistair. His eyes fell on a document sitting just on the desk. "What do you think it is we do here?"

He asked.

"I mean, truly." There seemed to be genuine curiosity in his voice. As though he actually cared for the opinion. "I can't imagine the Proctors mentioned us much, but I know you're clever enough to have heard rumors."

The question seemed a formidable non-sequitur. "So, tell me. What have you heard?"

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair was left silent for a few seconds as his mind did its best to come up with a satisfying answer. Maybe that was the problem. This man was the leader of the Vigilite, his literal profession was sifting through lies and secrets. Anything that Alistair said just to sound good was going to be called out quickly. The only option was the truth. Well, the rumors that he had heard.

"You are the boogeymen. Anirians think twice before they decide to talk about the government...because of you. No one knows exactly what you do, but they know it isn't good if you show up..."

Those were just some of the more basic rumors that Alistair had heard from time to time. There were more extreme ones, like the idea that the Vigilite were a group of demons under the control of Vel Anir.

"Vel Anir is a pretty messed up place. A place that trains living weapons. A place that's almost entire purpose is warfare...but somehow you guys are the monsters."

He did not know exactly what that said about them, but whatever it was, must not be the...nicest.

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

Mihali seemed almost bemused by the answer. "An apt enough truth, though a tad pedestrian."

Then again, he couldn't blame the lad. Even on the streets there wasn't much information about the Vigilite. They were an organization devoted to secrecy more than most. Even the Forsaken were a less well-hidden secret. At least by his estimation.

"They fear us because of our methods." Mihali said considerately. "My predecessors would do whatever was in their means to get what they wanted."

He mused. "They would ignore laws, torture, break the mind of so called enemies and imprison people on a whim."

Interestingly enough, his voice did not seem objectionable in the least.

"The Vigilite does what no one else will, Alistair." Slowly he turned towards the Initiate. "The Guard protects us against armies. The Dreadlords backing their bulwark. The Vestigare peer into every crime...but we..."

He smiled as if remembering something. "We uncover the secrets."

"We peel back every little layer than we can." Mihali continued. "We ask the questions that no one thinks to ask."

"For instance." He said simply. "Why were four people killed. Four noble, rich, and powerful men found dead...and only three of them strung from the rafters and carved like meat in a butchers shop?"

Mihali stared at Alistair, his eyes set, his expression unchanged. A glint of something in his eyes.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Ok, so the Vigilite were like the extreme version of the Vestigare. The description Mihali provided was impressive to Alistair. Conviction was often the deciding factor when all other cards were played. Vel Anir needed people that were willing to do such things.

The man definitely had an aura about him which was strange coming from a man that looked so...inconspicuous.

There was a part of him that made him worried about his secret with his father, but at the same time, the curiosity about the other murders had his mind racing.

"Well...I don't believe my father is connected to the other three. Not the same pattern and my father was not rich, or powerful. A noble for sure, but House Krixus did not have enough power to warrant being attacked.

At this point, he knew he was under suspicion for something, or maybe he was being tested. Alistair had no idea, but the glint in this man's eyes made it feel like he already knew everything. Maybe he did. If so, then Alistair was likely to be arrested soon, or just outright executed. That seemed more likely for a group like the one Mihali had just described.

"Is...Is there a noble serial killer in Vel Anir?"

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

"I agree." Mihali said matter of factly. "Despite your fathers illicit activities, he does not merit the same attention as the other three."

His face remained completely straight as he slipped that drop of knowledge into the conversation, musing for a moment more before adding. "That along with the circumstances of his death we can safely presume that particular murder is not part of this pattern."

Slowly he looked back at Alistair, as if measuring something, and then he continued.

"A killer, yes. Serial?" Mihali shook his head. "Think on it for a moment, Alistair."

The Grand Inquisitor sounded almost amused. "Three dead Nobles. A Governor, a Duchess, and a First of his House. All of them wealthy, all of them guarded, all of them important and ardent supporters of the Republic."

Mihali shook his head.

"There is more to this than a simple murderer." Otherwise he would have allowed the Vestigare to complete this inquiry on their own. "This is a knife in the dark, but the thing is..."

He trailed off, then glanced over towards the boy again. "I care much more about whose wielding the knife."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair could not help the involuntary wince at the carefree mention of his father's practices. It was not something many people knew about, and it was something Alistair hoped to remove from the family's reputation, especially the work with criminals.

So he had been off the mark with his first guess, which was not too surprising. He had jumped to a conclusion too quickly.

He needed to pause and think this out. Three murders. All wealthy, but likely not a thief. Killing would just bring more trouble than it is worth. All supporters of the Republic. That was the key.

"Someone who dislikes the new ways. Someone looking to go back to the way things were. Maybe not in the image, but at least in the way it actually works. So...it has to be someone that benefited from the old ways."

It could also be a runaway Dreadlord. It seemed like the Academy was always sending a few of them out to help track down psychos that, for some reason, preferred the old ways...but if that was the case then it would be the Dreadlords dealing with this. Not the Vigilite.

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

A nod tipped his head. "A likely possibility, and what most would guess."

It had been his first assumption as well, and in fact was still his leading thought. Yet one did not become Grand Inquisitor by following their own thoughts. What mattered was the word of those who tried to keep their tongues tied. The threads that no one else was looking at.

The webs which had been spun months, or even years ago.

"There are other theories of course." He mused. "But, we will approach this with an open mind."

Mihali said, drawing himself up completely. "We will be visiting the Duchess Estate today, and Lord Tremir's home in the Spire tomorrow. The Governor did not keep a staff, at least none beyond the employ of the Guards, but the other two did."

His voice became a bit colder then. "We will question them, and see what we can see."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Almost as soon as he offered his thoughts on the matter, a flood of other possibilities entered his head. It could be someone using the cover of the recent revolution just to get rid of the rival, wealthy noble houses. Maybe something was missing that had not been found yet so this was just a burglary.

Thankfully, the Grand Inquisitor started talking again and removed Alistair from his own thoughts. He had to be careful, if he let every single possible move through his mind then he would be rendered frozen with possibilities. Narrowing down the possibilities to the few most likely was the most efficient option.

"Yes, sir. Understood."

This was partly the reason he believed he was accepted here in the first place. There were certain powers in the Academy that worked well in the field of torture. However, Alistair would wager that he was one of the most skilled in tortures more...academic pursuits. His runic specialty also lent itself to information gathering. Apprenticing here would be...an incredibly refining for Alistair's skills.

"Can I assist you with anything else sir?"

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

Mihali shook his head. "No."

There was a sense of finality to the word, but of course more doors could always be opened. For now the Grand Inquisitor had his own design of things, pinpricked with pieces of knowledge that he was keeping at bay from even the legislature.

With a sweep of his great cloak Mihali motioned towards the door.

"We head to the estates." He told Alistair, walking past him without a second of waiting. "There is much to do."

He mused. "Many questions to ask."

It was this stage he always found most exciting. The gathering of information. Peeling back the layers of propriety and finding what others had tried to hide for so long. Everyone had secrets, and the nobility had secrets more than most.

That was why his job was always so interesting.

Quickly Mihali moved to leave his office, letting just enough space for Alistair to follow after. Just a little while later they would find themselves sitting in a plush carriage, escorted by a dozen agents of the Vigilite itself. All of them dressed in black cloaks and strange metal masks.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair followed after the Grand Inquisitor without any further comment. He did find himself wondering if he should get a new cloak to fit in with the Inquisitor and the rest of the Vigilite...maybe they would give him one.

At this point, Alistair was only focused on not slowing down Mihali or any other agents. He was from the Academy and he had a reputation to protect.

He could feel the excitement building as he noticed some hairs on his arms beginning to stand up. It was beginning to feel like any time Alistair focused on a puzzle or one of his projects.

Alistair was surprised to find themselves in a carriage, but even more surprised at the entourage. To be fair, Alistair did not see the Vigilite travel often. No one did since people often tried to avoid them. His reason was different, as he had just been stuck in the Academy for much of his life.

"Does the Vigilite often travel in...numbers?"

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

A sly sort of smile touched Mihali's face as the Initiate asked his question. "No, we do not."

Most citizens likely wouldn't have thought about it. They would see the black cloaks, the masks, and they would assume that the Vigilite were up to their usual tricks. They would clear the streets and make way, and then they would talk about it in the tavern.

Which was of course, the whole point.

"But." He said as the carriage began to move. "Right now we must."

He leaned back. "By the end of the day everyone in all of Vel Anir will know that the Vigilite is now involved in this..."

A frown touched his face.

"Unpleasantness." That was a tactful way of putting it. "So, our killer, or killers, will know shortly after."

If he did not already.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistiar quickly understood the reasoning as he nodded along. He glanced out the wagon to look at some of the masked, ominous figures that walked along beside them. To the people of the city, it would be like seeing your nightmares walking about in the daylight. It would be enough to make anyone concerned.

"You want to scare the killer, or at least make them nervous. Then they slip up, and you can catch them."

It made sense, Alistair had used it on missions before. The quickest way to get someone to slip up was to make them stumble over their words out of nervousness. That was always the easiest part. The killer might try to run, but that seemed unlikely given the political connections that the murders featured. Running from Vel Anir would be like admitting defeat.

"Excuse my lack of knowledge on the subject given my education, but how many are there in the city possible of committing such killings?...That aren't associated with the branches of government?" Alistair added the last bit quickly.

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

Mihali pulled back the curtain over the door window of the carriage, glancing at the city streets and musing for a few seconds. The question was a good one, though also one which was more difficult to quantify than one might think.

"At least a dozen." The Grand Inquisitor said, slowly turning his attention back towards Alistair.

"Vel Anir is one of the largest cities in the world." A population that dwarfed most other metropolises. Only Alliria was truly larger, but that sprawling streak of humanity was a stone compared to the jewel of Vel Anir. "It is easy to hide here."

He explained. "Retired Dreadlords, Members of the weakened Nobility, Rebellious Archon's come calling, foreign agents."

Everything had to be considered.

"Connections will find us names." Mihali continued. "And those names will find us the right tongues."

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair would not fool himself into thinking he was well traveled. He had been on several missions taking him out of the kingdom, but the information he could learn was often constrained by the parameters of the mission. So the fact that Vel Anir was one of the largest cities in the world was not surprising, and it did give Alistair just a tinge of pride.

It also made their job a lot difficult. Alistiar felt like he could tell if the killer was a dreadlord, as long as he had time to study the killings. An Archon might be more difficult, but if anything, the kill would be even cleaner but also brutal.

The pure amount of connections that the Vigilite likely had almost put a smirk on his face. He could not think of many people in the city that would dare lie or keep their mouth shut if the Vigilite came knocking.

"Do you think the killer will likely slip up? It had to be someone either very confident or very stupid."

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

"Anyone with the resources to pull this off will likely also be smart enough to know this was coming." Mihali was making a lot of assumptions, but from what he knew of the murders and the way they had been...articulated. He doubted this was any sort of simpleton.

Of course there was always a chance that all of this sprang from the derrangements of a lunatic, but he found that even less likely. These three targets, were linked, a pattern forming. Something loomed behind the murders, though just what it was the Grand Inquisitor couldn't quite place.

"If it were me." He commented. "I would already have a plan."

But would they plan for the Vigilite?

Most killers didn't have to deal with the Inquisition, but then most killers didn't end powerful lives. "Our job is to unravel that plan."

Not to mention find out where all the threads went.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair was silent for several seconds, while he watched the city move past the carriage window. It was long enough that Mihali may even wonder if Alistair had left the conversation, but then he spoke up.

"How do we know when their plan has even begun? What if we are already in their plan?"

Maybe Alistair was giving this murderer too much credit, but anyone that killed three higher-ups, like this, had to be confident.

"To unravel a plan, don't we have to first figure out what their plan is."

This was why Alistair wanted to be here. Most Dreadlords ended up on the battlefield, and a battlefield is easy. It's simple. This was anything but simple. That was why Alistair wanted to be here. He wanted to be challenged.

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

"It would be easier." Mihali conceded with a nod of his head. Alistair had the right of it, in a way. Knowing the plan would have made things simpler, they could take a thread and pluck it as they pleased.

But they didn't have that luxury. "Think of a web."

The Inquisitor said with a motion to the air.

"Made up of dozens of strands. Each one linked." It was a simple analogy, but workable. "Follow enough of them, and you'll get to the center."

Though Mihali was not entirely sure that he would find what he needed even there. No, for the Vigilite it was as much the threads as the web itself. Each murder, each person, each little bit of information that could be filed away and deemed useful.

They were an eye, watchful of all.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair nodded along as he listened to the man. He could almost see the web out in front of him hanging in the air. They just needed to find one piece of the thread and they could follow it back. Just the smallest bit of information. That was what made the Vigilite scary.

Technically, a web could be taken down from any number of focal points in the design, but for this specific purpose, the Vigilite was only finished when they made it to the center.

"Then we remove the spider that had been busy weaving the web."

He offered as he followed along with the chosen example. Alistair was confident he could do the last part. He was near the top of his class at the Academy, which might even put him above some of the Vigilite in terms of combat prowess.

What he needed to learn from them was the game. That ability to be ever watchful, never surprised. He wanted to learn how to weave and dismantle the web.

Mihali

 

[Mihali]

Mihali nodded as he opened the door to the carriage.

The outside that greeted them was far different than what had been present around the headquarters of the Vigilite. Instead of crowded streets they were met with empty cobbles. Instead of masked members of the Inquisition they were greeted by soldiers of the Guard.

It was a marked difference, but one which Mihali seemed to entirely ignore as he moved towards the gate of a massive Manor. "Lieutenant."

As he approached the man standing watch at the gate seemed to stiffen almost instantly. His face turned into a darker version of what he had been wearing before, and every muscle in his body tensed with a single glance of who had addressed him.

"Yes sir."​

"I assume no one has attended the premises?" The Grand Inquisitor asked plainly.

"No sir, no one save for the Vestigare and one Dreadlord."​

Mihali cocked his head to the side for a brief moment, lips thinning. "Still inside?"

The Lieutenent offered a quick and curt nod. The Grand Inquisitor simply responded in kind, and then motioned for Alistair to follow as he moved to head inside.