Vexil.
Standing at the corner of a building in an alleyway and looking out onto a street. Zam the ex mercenary sighs again as it continues to rain this morning here in the city of Vexil.
The youngest member of the group is looking away to his left and across the street to where a tower of the city guard is located in this part of Vexil.
The ex mercenary who is originally from The City Of Ruins wipes his face as drops of water run down from the hood of his cloak, before he takes a step back into the alleyway.
Zam breathes a sigh again, this time in relief. As there's a bit more shelter from the rain just back from the corner of the building.
The teenager who figures he's been given this task this morning, because it'll keep him occupied.
Is just about to step forward again, when he suddenly sees a figure appear out of nowhere across on the other side of the street. Seemingly not bothered by the rain, which doesn't seem to be touching them.
Zam stays completely still as the cloaked figure across the street starts walking. The youngest member of the group waits a few moments, then he steps forward to the corner of the building, and looks to his left.
And watches the hooded figure, who he knows is a mage. A member of the Mage Council of Vexil to be exact.
Making their way to the tower of the city guard a bit further down the street from where Zam is watching things from.
The ex mercenary who hails from The City Of Ruins watches as the mage Garmen enters the tower. Where he knows Helbe the elven thief is waiting.
The mage Garmen senior, speaks to the duty guardsman at the front desk in the entrance chamber.
Who informs the member of the mage council where the prisoner is being held. He calls for another of the guardsmen, this one more senior. Who leads the powerful mage up to the room where the prisoner is being held.
"Thought it best to hold him in one of the rooms, and not down in the cells" says the senior guardsman who still can't believe the case that dropped into his lap late last night.
"And you're sure of his guilt?" asks the mage Garmen as they head up the tower, walking up the winding steps.
"Yes mage Garmen" is the reply from the senior guardsman who follows that with "Absolutely sure" he then adds "Not only did he admit it, but two of our own spellcasters confirmed it".
The member of the Mage Council of Vexil grunts when he hears that. As he wasn't too sure of things when he heard of it when it was brought up in the daily morning meeting at the Mage Tower.
The powerful practitioner of magic shakes his head at the situation. One of the most well known, and respected members of the city council arrested for theft. And a rather large theft at that. Not only that, but he had being stealing things with a help of a number of gangs for the last few years.
"And this other matter?" asks Garmen the senior, who continues on with "I understand a disturbance with a gang of thieves that he was involved with?".
The senior guardsman winces, then sourly mutters "Disturbance" before he adds in a slightly dry tone of voice "That's one way to put it".
The member of Vexil's Mage Council eyebrows shoot up when the guardsman tells him "A gang of about a dozen thieves were killed within the last day or so".
They come to a stop on a landing about three quarters of the way up the tower, and the senior guardsman says "A gang known to us, they were wiped out in what was one of their secret hideouts".
The mage Garmen is silent for a moment, then he quietly says "Think he had anything to do with it?" followed by "Trying to clear up things just in case?".
The senior member of this particular tower of the city guard shakes his head no, then says "He denied it when we questioned him about it" followed by "And our spellcasters confirmed he had nothing to do with their deaths".
The powerful Vexillian spellcaster nods at that, then he says "Continue that investigation" he follows on from that with "Though we have a dozen less criminals on the streets of the city, we can't have others going around killing people as they please".
The member of the Mage Council of Vexil continues with "No doubt it's another gang trying to move in on their territory".
The senior guardsman nods his head in agreement, as that's usually the case when one lot of criminals is wiped out.
"If you need extra manpower, go over to tower five and get more guards" says the mage Garmen who follows that with "They've been informed of the situation".
"Yes councilor Garmen" says the senior guardsman who gestures to the room across the landing that has one of the guardsmen standing before it.
That guardsman unlocks the door then opens it. And the powerful mage and the senior guardsman enter the room, with the guardsman outside closing the door behind them.
The mage Garmen looks at the forlorn looking man sitting on the chair next to the bed in the otherwise empty room.
The powerful practitioner of magic doesn't know councilman Meecham that well. Only having meet him a handful of times at functions that both councils were present at.
The member of the Mage Council knows that Orax Meecham is part of the family that owns one of the more successful trading companies in the city-state.
And the thought of him being a thief at first sounded fanciful to put it mildly to the mage Garmen.
As the councilman, who is both popular with the people of Vexil. And by all accounts is actually one of the more proficient and hard working members of the City Council of Vexil.
Is something that the powerful practitioner of magic couldn't actually believe when he first heard what had been happening.
"Meecham" says the mage Garmen, at hearing his name, the prisoner looks up and blinks a few times.
Then he nervously swallows as he realizes who it is that's standing with one of the guardsmen in the room.
"Mage Garmen" says Orax Meecham, who then winces and nods his head, and quietly says "Yes". In response to one of the most well known members of the Mage Council of Vexil asking him "Is it true?".
The senior guardsman slightly grimaces when he hears the mage Garmen next to him mutter "Shit".
Then the powerful practitioner of magic after sighing, asks the prisoner "Why?" followed by "It's not as though you need the coin" before adding "Considering you're part of one of the wealthiest families in the entire city-state".
With a shrug of his shoulders, councilman Meecham says "Because I could" followed by "So I did".
The member of the Mage Council of Vexil sourly smiles, then quietly says to the senior guardsman "He's telling the truth".
Then the mage, known as Garmen senior, sometimes referred to as Garmen the elder. As his now deceased son was called Garmen junior, though more often referred to as Garmen the younger.
Asks the councilman who has been arrested for theft "How much have you stolen over the last few years?". And Orax Meecham after a slight pause replies with "A bit".
From an inner pocket of his uniform jacket, the senior guardsman takes out a rolled up piece of parchment paper, which he hands to the powerful practitioner of magic.
The mage Garmen unrolls it, then reads what's written on it. The member of the Mage Council of Vexil winces , then dryly says "A bit indeed".
With a sigh and a shake of his head, the powerful spellcaster tells the prisoner "With the amount you've taken things don't look good for you Meecham".
Garmen the elder continues with "This is definitely close, and maybe over the threshold for execution".
The member of Vexil's Mage Council glances at the senior guardsman who nods his head in agreement with that statement.
The powerful practitioner of magic continues with "Being a respected and well liked councilman, not to mention a member of your family, will not save you when in all likelihood you're found guilty of these crimes".
"I know" is the quiet reply from the member of the City Council of Vexil who is being held prisoner for the crimes he has committed.
As the mage Garmen, and occasionally the senior guardsman, continue to question the city councilman who has been arrested for theft.
The fourth person in the room, invisible to the other three. Stands next to the door, watching what's going on.
Helbe the elven thief slightly nods to himself after completely reading the mind, as well as going through the memories of Garmen the elder.
The blurred and shielded elven magic user guessed, correctly as it turns out. That the mage Garmen would be sent to find out what's going on with the case concerning the city councilor Orax Meecham.
And though the member of the Mage Council of Vexil is concentrating on what councilman Meecham has done, and the likely punishment he'll face, and that's at the forefront of his mind.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel sees that subconsciously, the powerful Vexillian mage is still thinking about the death of his son. And the person he thinks is responsible for it. Mira Reinholt the mage.
When it really was Helbe himself who killed mage Garmen the younger back in the wintertime, up in the hill country of northern Vexil.
The elven masterthief glances at his right shoulder to where Narladene the ground pixie is sitting, watching what's happening here in the tower room.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel lifts an eyebrow when the ground pixie looks at him, then gestures at the prisoner Orax Meecham, and makes a slicing motion across her throat.
Probably, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself, as it seems fairly likely that councilman Meecham will be put to death, by way of a public execution. Which is usually hanging here in the city of Vexil.
And from the thoughts of both the mage Garmen and the senior guardsman, the councilman Orax Meecham will be executed.
The highly talented elven practitioner of magic watches the prisoner being questioned for a little bit longer.
Then the powerful Vexillian mage, and the senior guardsman exit the room. Followed by the blurred and shielded elven magic user.
Who with Narladene still upon his right shoulder, shifts away through one of the narrow windows, basically an archers nook, on this level of the tower of the city guard.
The elven master assassin is upon the top of the tower, with the falling rain completely missing him, as he looks down at the street below.
The son of the heir to the throne of Laerel, spots the mage Garmen make his way out of the base of the tower.
Then he quietly tells the naturally magical creature on his right shoulder "Follow him" he continues with "See what he gets up to".
The elven master archer then adds "And find out what else he might get up to in his hunt for Mira".
"Will do" says Narladene the ground pixie who shoots down off the rooftop, and follows after the powerful practitioner of magic who is a member of the Mage Council of Vexil, landing upon him without him noticing.
And just a moment later, Garmen the mage disappears as he teleports away, heading back to the city center. Where the Tower of the Mage Council is located.
Once they're gone, the young elven noble who is the grandson of Prince Reandril of Laerel, looks away down the street.
And faintly smiles when he spots Zam the ex mercenary, looking miserable in a nearby alleyway. As it continues to rain on this spring morning here in the city of Vexil.
The blurred and shielded elven magic user shifts away, heading to youngest member of the group. Who he'll return to the Merchant's Rest inn, without him getting anymore wet than he already is.
For the highly talented elven magic user needs to inform Lord Farque what took place this morning, when Garmen the mage questioned Orax Meecham the councilman.
And what the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel found out when he read the mind of Garmen senior . . . . . .
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