Iriona

[athena]

The moment Aria passed him the quilt Elion felt an immediate sense of relief. He had found himself in some manner of undress before women before, but usually he was more familiar with them. Or working in the field or swimming. In short, it was always a situation in which undress was commonplace. Most certainly not in an environment like this, where quarters were close and private and any number of things could happen.

Elion quietly drew the quilt around him and settled on the floor. He felt distinctly like a turtle huddled in its shell for comfort. No doubt, he looked just as ridiculous. Aria tossed his file on the bed. Impatience and frustration were both clear in her actions. Elion remained quite, patiently waiting. As she settled into the chair in the corner of the room, she spoke up, “So my case went serial. The FBI came in and took over, like it’s just another case.”

He didn’t know what an FBI, but assumed it was some kind of higher ranked agente of some sort. “They are always just another investigation,” Elion stated as a matter of fact. Instantly, Aria flared into defensive anger. “I understand the desire to solve a crime, to put a stop to senseless death and murder, to protect innocents, and to ensure justice is delivered. But there is something in your investigation that is of a more personal nature I believe. Do not let it compromise your sense. Use this intercession to your advantage,” Elion felt a mischievous smile play across his face. “Make them work for you.” He wasn’t entirely sure how the system worked in Springmount, but Elion was fairly positive that Aria could at least turn things to her advantage. Her thoughtful face indicated that she would be more than capable of accomplishing such.

Within moments though, Aria brushed her own investigation aside in favor of his own. While Elion recognized that Aria’s case was just as significant, he couldn’t help but feel secretly pleased that she was currently more interested in working this one. “Ah, yes,” Elion scrambled to his feet while trying to hold the quilt about him. It was a challenge in itself. He was more than tempted to just throw the quilt away, but finally managed to arrange the fabric in a way that would allow him to move comfortably. He collected the Muula files from his desk and handed them off to Aria.

“Since you were...kind enough to take my files, all my recent work has been combined into the file from Muula.” Gently, Elion pried Aria’s own files from her hands as he placed his newest finds in her lap. “Grifad managed to trace where the fabric was from. It was a specialty item at a cloth shop in Eltal. The owner was less than helpful, but I did manage to track a poison down from the ring around the sprite. The elderly shopkeeper was able to provide an address and a description of the man. It is similar to what I learned from the spirits at the scene. All the information is in the file.”

Carefully, Elion gathered the scattered papers from his own file and set them aside on the desk along with Aria’s. He stared longingly at the bed. Exhaustion had finally caught up with him and he desperately wished for sleep. It would be impolite of him though to fall asleep at such a time though. Yawning, Elion managed to force out, “I have reason to believe he is now stationed in Muula, so I left Eltal immediately. We’re about a day out now.” Another yawn stole over him. He perched on the edge of the bed and slowly felt himself drift towards the pillows. “I’m terribly sorry,” he started, forcing back yet another yawn. “I’ve been on the road nonstop for six days. I would very much like to look over your investigation files, but I do not think I am in a state to be of assistance.”

Out of habit, Elion drew himself into a tight little ball and pulled the quilt up to his ears. As he settled into the feather mattress, waves of exhaustion washed over him. The feeling reminded him of his boyhood after a long day helping his father in the fields. He stared sleepily at Aria as she started to lose focus. “I’ll be here if you should need something,” Elion muttered. He buried his nose in the clean bedding and sighed deeply before he drifted off to sleep.

[Victoria]

As Elion drifted off to sleep in the bed, Aria glanced around for the light switch. Flicking it off, she opened the door and slipped out into the hall with her files. She didn’t have it in her to sleep right now, now when she was so damn close to closing this case and yet somehow she felt like she was still at square one. Without Janie’s telling of the events that took place, essentially she had nothing. And she wasn’t any closer to bringing these girls justice than she was the night she got the call about the first murder. Brant was wrong, this wasn’t just about Stephanie, this was about these girls that didn’t get a chance to live their lives because someone deemed themselves superior. Because someone thought them to be objects he could just play with. And how could Elion side with Brant about this just being another case? But his sprites were so damn precious. He didn’t get it, none of them did.

Heading down the stairs, she almost ran into an elderly woman, “Sorry,” she muttered feebly.
“It’s a bit late, is it not dear?” she asked when she realized she was heading for the door.
Aria nodded, “I can take care of myself,” she answered.
“The woods have not been safe for some time now,” she warned, “The spirits grow ever restless. I fear we may be staring at the beginning of yet another contention.”
That caught Aria’s attention, “Contention?” she asked as she turned around, “This has happened before.”
The older woman nodded, “Long ago, Pelagus was just coming into season when the contention began.”
Aria motioned to a few seats near a dying fire in the fire place, “Would you mind telling me about it?” she questioned, but on second thought she smiled, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?”
“Vesta,” she smiled warmly as she took seat across from Aria. Leaning over, she whispered something in a language Aria didn’t understand and the fire roared back to life.
Aria nodded, “Nice to meet you Vesta, my name’s Aria,” she introduced herself. “What can you tell me about this contention? Was it between the spirits and the humans?”
“It was a year of fire, or so the tale says. It happened many cycles ago, long before even my mother and father were birthed.” She said slowly, “Murders were plaguing the land, sprites and humans alike. The Agentes worked closely, all trying to end the contention before it grew too large. But it was to no avail. The spirits rose up, fires lay waste to the land, the ground shook with great force, the wind howled angrily as it swirled into a cyclone. Lightening struck and the rains did not cease for days on end.”
“You said this contention was caused by murders?” Aria questioned, the storm she was describing sounded scary familiar. It sounded just like the dream she had been having right before she had first appeared in Elion’s office.
Vesta nodded grimly, “It began as human violence, but it grew to attacks on the sprites. Some believe it was a quest for power, others believe it grew from vengeance.”
Why hadn’t Elion bothered to mention any of this to her? This was all rather important. “Thank you so much for your time Vesta,” Aria grinned, “But it is late and I wouldn’t want to keep you up any later.”
“The clothing you wear is strange my dear,” she noted, “Perhaps it would be wise to blend in at a time like this.” But all the same, she pushed away from the table, “Goodnight dear.”
Aria nodded, Vesta was right. Her clothing did make her stand out and people were going to start questioning that. “Goodnight.”

Despite the old woman’s warning words, Aria headed for the front door as soon as Vesta disappeared up the steps. She may not be able to hold her own against the spirits of this land, but against an ordinary man she had skill on her side. And that was all this was, wasn’t it? A human out for power. That was something she knew how to deal with.

It wasn’t long before the sun rose up over the trees where she sat, all of the files spread out around her. Both for the case here in Iriona, and the case back in Springmount. Both cases were extremely different, but at the core they were similar. Someone who thought they could get away with this. Someone who thought they could upset the balance of a relatively safe place. Gathering up the papers from where they sat, Aria organized them all back into their respective folders before pushing up off the ground. She had waited long enough for Elion to wake up. Going back into the small in, she headed right back up the rickety old stairs and to Elion’s room. Knocking once, when he didn’t answer she resolved to just push open the door only to find him still fast asleep in the bed. Not wanting to waste any time being nice about how she woke him, she stepped to the other side of the bed, picked up the spare pillow and dropped it on his head. “Morning Sunshine,” she quipped sarcastically.

[athena]

Strange dreams plagued Elion’s sleep. He was used to the spirits trying to communicate through his dreams, but these were more intense than usual. Vivid images swirled into vague misty forms before rearranging themselves into another scene. Whispers filtered in and out of Elion’s hearing, but it seemed they constantly whispered contention. Elion felt his dream self struggle to understand. Why was that word so familiar? Suddenly the memories of the legend snapped to the front of his brain. Elion woke with a jolt. He looked wildly around the room, searching for Aria but she was gone.

“Sorry dearie, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Elion’s head snapped around so fast he was almost positive he would have neck lash. The elderly woman smiled cheerfully as she placed his folded clothes on the desk. He watched her suspiciously. She was most certainly not the inn keep or the laundress. “Who are you?” he asked quietly. The woman tutted at him. “You should know dearie,” she tapped her chin. “Or maybe not. You’re closer to the earth than to any of us.” Elion’s eyes narrowed as he stared the spirit woman down. It was incredibly rare that spirits manifested themselves as humans. “What are you calling yourself?” The woman chose not to answer, but rather added another set of clothes to the desk.

“I brought some clothes for your Aria as well. She’ll need them.” Elion wanted to correct the spirit that Aria wasn’t his, but knew better than to correct a spirit. “Now, I’ve had a lovely chat with Aria, and planted the seeds of wisdom in her rather stubborn head. But you, you must help her case as well otherwise she cannot help you. I suggest you talk to the garden this morning. I suspect the earth will want to help.” Elion remained silent, watching the spirit with suspicion. As much as he didn’t want to anger the spirit, he also didn’t trust her; he hardly knew what kind of spirit he was dealing with. “Oh don’t look at me that way,” the spirit woman chided. “My job is finished here, now you should go back to sleep.” With a wink the old woman vanished, leaving Elion more confused and suspicious than ever. Rather suddenly he felt sleep return to claim him and he buried his face in the pillow to collect the rest of his sleep.

The next thing he knew, Aria was standing over him. Elion blinked, confused. He looked around for the old woman, but saw no sign of her. He wondered if perhaps it had all been a dream. The clothes piles said otherwise though. With a groan, Elion rolled out of bed. He was sad to leave it so soon, but work must be done. He disregarded the quilt and Aria for a moment as he collected his clothes. At this point, he hardly cared if Aria was there. He shimmied into his clothes and turned towards Aria as he buttoned up his shirt. “An old woman left you some clothes,” he said without much explanation.

“What the hell is the contention? Don’t you think it may have been a little important to mention it?” Sarcasm dropped heavily from her voice. Elion shrugged. “Technically I did. I said something bad would happen if it continued.” Aria smacked him on the arm. He looked at her in surprise, his eyebrow hovering high. “But the contention to which you refer is almost a legend now. It happened two hundred maybe three hundred years ago. It was well before records, so its not exactly clear what caused it. The outcome certainly was though.” He stooped to pull up his boots. “If we are headed towards another contention – and I suspect we are – I need your help,” Elion told her bluntly. “I cannot do this alone. Nor can you solve your case alone. I will help you solve yours so that you may help solve mine.” He stood, smirking at Aria’s own surprise and skepticism. “If you excuse me, I have to address a matter before we go to Muula. I will meet you in the inn’s garden after you have changed.”

He left the room, pulling the door shut. Quickly Elion bypassed the innkeeper and the kitchens and ducked into their private gardens. The spirit had suggested speaking with the earth, and Elion knew what kind of conversation would be required. Slowly, he drew his knife from his bootstrap and drew it across his opposite palm. Bright blood welled up and without thought Elion sank to the ground and plunged his hand into the soft tilled earth. Instantly the earth spirits sang with his offering. He felt their invisible hands grasp his own as they greeted him like a long lost relative. In a sense, he was a child of the earth. He had been born on the most sacred earth spirit day during the earth season and the spirits had practically scooped him into their arms in joy. They had watched him closely ever since.

It had been a long time since his last offering and the spirits were excited to talk with him so directly. Hesitantly, Elion explained his thoughts and the possibility of another contention. The earth spirits grew quite. They confirmed that the wind spirits were furious and demanded justice, but contention had not been mentioned. The other spirits called for patience. None of their fellow spirits had been murdered yet. They would try to keep the balance for as long as possible, but if more sprites or any spirits were taken or killed they could not ensure safety or balance. Elion acknowledged and agreed to hurry as much as possible. The earth spirits buffered him in an attempt of comfort. Sighing, Elion gathered himself for his one last request. Silently, he asked the earth spirits for their help. They listened patiently and readily agreed.

The tug on his hand began almost instantly. The earth spirits slowly pulled the blood from his hand, and then a little more. Elion grew weary as they drew more blood. Suddenly it stopped as quickly as it had begun. The spirits whispered their approval and instructions before releasing him. Slowly, Elion removed his hand from the soil. Within his hand he held a small dark, blood colored ball. It smelled strongly of iron and dirt. The cut across his hand had been healed, leaving nothing more than a dirt colored scar. Elion stood, steading himself on a post nearby. He felt so weary. His conversation had taken so much out of him. And the small gift in his hand had nearly pushed him to his limits. He straightened his back and turned. Aria stood at the edge of the garden, watching him. Elion smiled half-heartedly. He wasn’t sure how long she had been watching or what exactly she had seen. At this point though, Aria probably should learn as much about the spirits as possible.

Elion approached her slowly. Carefully, he opened his hand to reveal the small ball and his hand. “This is my gift to you,” Elion said haltingly. “Take it with you to your home. It will help with your investigation. You will know when and how to use it.” Gently he pressed the ball into her hand. “Now,” Elion began as he slowly turned to the kitchen, “I’m afraid I need to eat something before we leave for Muula. By the way, you look lovely.” Elion tossed her a friendly wink before shuffling his way back into the kitchen.

[Victoria]

She wanted to question what the hell this little ball was. What she was supposed to do with it ‘when the time came’. She really didn’t know what to make of him. Or any of this for that matter. Turning on her heel, she followed him into the kitchens. “What the hell is this?” she asked, holding out her hand. But she shook her head before he had a chance to really answer her. “You know what, it doesn’t matter right now.” She said as she sat down at a nearby table. She wanted to know more about this legend that Vesta had spoke of the night before. There seemed to be a key in that legend somewhere. Something ended the contention the last time and something would end it this time. “Vesta told me that the last contention was started by murders, both of sprites and humans.” She sighed, “So have there been any human murders lately?” she questioned.
When he shook his head no, she sighed again.

She tried going over the files again in her head, but everything from her own case and his was jumbling all together in her mind and making a mess of things. The first sprite was battered and broken, the second though had been missing wings. So that meant this person was trying to figure something out. And she was guessing they hadn’t yet, which meant more murders were coming. Which meant the spirits were going to grow increasingly angrier over the situation until it all came to a head in that hell storm. One she remembered all to vividly from her dreams. But that begged the question, why had she been dreaming of a storm in a foreign land that was nothing more than a legend to the people? And why was she nothing more than a little girl in the dream? She was starting to think she would need therapy after all of this.

“What can you tell me about this legend?” she asked, “because I feel like the key to solving this is in that story.” There was something there. She could feel it swirling around in her subconscious, just out of her reach. She couldn’t quite grasp onto the idea. “All Vesta told me was that murders led to angry spirits which brought on this nightmare of a storm for everyone involved. But I guess my point is, if there was a contention before and there’s actual fact to the legend, then the balance was restored. Which means that if this were to get out of hand this time too, we can restore the balance. Of course then the question would be how.” She found herself babbling, trying to make sense of the random thoughts swirling through her mind. “Is it possible that this isn’t just one person doing all of this?” she asked. Because how could one person get around so many spirits that basically saw anything and everything everyone did. It certainly gave a new meaning to George Orwell’s concept of Big Brother.

He had previously said that they had to help each other to solve their own cases. Which meant her gut feeling that these were linked in some fashion or another, held true. They needed each other to solve both pending cases. But the problem was, she didn’t have a damn clue of where to turn for either one.

[athena]

The innkeeper smiled warmly as he left breakfast for the two of them. If he had any questions about Elion’s mysterious female companion and where she had materialized from, he kept them to himself. Sluggishly, Elion sawed through the thick brown bread and slathered it with butter and honey. He chewed slowly as Aria mused and questioned aloud. The old legend did seem to be growing in significance. Especially when Aria mentioned Vesta. Elion suspected that she was most likely the spirit guest he had had earlier in the day.

Elion pushed the breakfast tray towards Aria, hoping that she would eat as well. It would be a long day for the both of them. He thought a moment longer trying to remember as much as the old stories as possible. “Typically the legend is a tale told to children. A sort of bedtime story meant to scare wild children into good behavior.” He paused, helping himself to some fruit slices and another chunk of bread. “It was a time of chaos, long before proper order had been established. The cities existed, but not it unison and they often fought. During this time, many people were killed simply out of bloodlust; many innocent people died. In retaliation, people turned their rage and confusion towards the spirits. Sprites were killed to send a message to the spirits. Sometimes rivals would kill patron sprites. It was a disaster. The spirits grew angry. Very angry. It was not long before the spirits began to wage war on the humans. There were earthquakes, windstorms, sea swells, flooding, rampant fires, storms. The destruction was constant and devastating. Iriona was nearly destroyed in the process. They say that it was only ended after the balance was established. A group of individuals sacrificed themselves to appease the spirits.” Once again Elion paused to collect more food. His own blood sacrifice had left him hungrier than he realized.

“But you see, there’s always trouble with a legend. It gets told so many different ways it’s impossible to know which one is true. One version says that a man searching for power started the contention. Another claims that it was a woman. Some hold that peace was restored after the agentes found the murderers and brought justice to them all. Or with the death of the individual. Sometimes spirit walkers, humans who have an extraordinary connection with spirits, are created and solve the problem. It’s confusing how it began and how it ended. The only truth that can really be taken away from the legend is that the spirits retaliated and when they did, it was chaos.”

Elion shrugged. He wasn’t sure how it would help the investigation, but it seemed the spirits had not yet seen it fit to enlighten them. “And I think it is just one person, maybe two. But I think the second is only an aid.” Briefly, Elion informed Aria of the Eltal neighbor’s description of the residents. “Facis is a trying time for spirits. They are often more absorbed in themselves or spirit problems than what goes on in the human realm. It is the ideal time for murder as the spirits are...distracted.”

Elion stood and brushed crumbs from his shirt and pants. He felt rejuvenated after eating such a hearty meal. Carefully, he counted out the proper amount of coins and set them on the table. “We will head to Muula now,” he informed Aria. “I have written ahead and the agentes are expecting us. They have already marked out the apothecaries who provide Fellis. They found it at the most recent scene as well. I would like to speak with the shop owners to see if they have encountered a man matching our description. And, I think you will be pleased to know, the agentes have not yet buried this sprite’s body. I left explicit instructions not to after your last...request,” Elion finished politely. With a smile, he hefted the door open and stepped out into the midmorning sun, Aria close on his heels.

[Victoria]

There had to be record somewhere of the previous contention. It would have been lax on the people’s part to not record it in some way to prevent history from repeating itself. But humans made mistakes like that all the time no matter what world they were from. World War Two was example of that. History would almost always find a way to repeat itself. But of one things she was almost sure, the same way Ring around the Rosie was really referencing the black death, there had to be some child’s rhyme or storybook that would reference this first great contention. She just had to find it because Elion clearly didn’t remember it if it were in fact a thing. “Is there a library in Muula?” she asked, falling into step beside him. Maybe she would just go her own way for a few hours and see what she could find while he spoke with the agentes in headquarters.
“There is,” he answered simply.
Aria just nodded. If this story was a legend based on truth than there had to be something she could find. But he had also mentioned that they had kept the body this time. She wasn’t a coroner so she didn’t know the absolute best way to determine cause of death. But she knew enough. She knew a blood sample could tell them a hell of a lot. Examining how the wings were removed could point them in another direction. And if Elion was so good at sketching maybe between all of the people they talked to he could sketch a picture of this guy’s face.

She also would need to see the scene. For obvious reasons, the last time she had found a thread. Maybe this time she would find something of more significance. Or she could only hope. She felt like they were spinning their wheels here. Trying to find traction where there wasn’t any. He seemed to think this case was actually going somewhere. But it wasn’t, not to her anyway. At this point they knew it was a guy, who killed sprites, possibly with this poison. That was all she really knew about the killer back home too. And who knew where that case was going to end up. While she was here, she was losing ground on her own case. “Like I said before, the body can tell us a lot,” she noted, “Depending on how the wings were removed this time, that could point us in a different direction. And were these sprites killed with this poison we’re hunting for? If not, what is he using it for?” What she really needed was Jack. He always answered her questions with ones of his own. And somehow through that mass of questions answers were found. But of course she couldn’t ask him without sounding completely insane. She couldn’t even mention this to Colin. Not after her parents had told him all about her imaginary world when she was five. She stopped and glanced around. The orchard, the forest, the storm Vesta and Elion had both mentioned now.

She looked at Elion, “Clearly I’m not from here,” she noted, “Has anyone ever travelled to this land before? Like I have?” Why now. Why was it possible now when before it had been nothing more than a dream?

[athena]

The library certainly would be a good place for Aria to investigate while Elion hunted down the agentes assigned to this case and collected the necessary paperwork. The Muula agentes would assist only at Elion’s direction, and he did not wish to send them on a search for information in the library. Aria would be better suited to the task; she had the right eye and critical mindset that would be needed. Elion doubted if the Muula agentes had that. “Once we reach the city, I will take you to the library. Books on the contention would probably be in the children’s section – at least the ones concerning the legend. I do not know if they will have any scholarly works concerning the contention; you will have to ask a keeper.” Elion paused, the wheels in his mind turning. “While you are there, would you be willing to search for something else as well?”

Aria looked at him, a small smile turning up the corners of her mouth. “At the house I investigated, a book was left behind. It was a book used in schools to teach children about the spirits and such. An introduction of sorts. The volume I was found had writings in it; Eltal was scratched out, although it had previously been circled like Muula was. If you have the chance, see if that volume or something similar has been taken. Better yet, question the keepers. See if anybody has been in asking about similar materials.” Aria’s own wheels were turning away in his head. She seemed to be on the same page as Elion.

The gates of Muula rose in the distance. The city was airy, built in an attempt to mimic air spirits. Or please them. Elion had never quite figured that out. Many of the homes had large windows and straw roofs, if they had one at all. Business was generally conducted outside in an open-air market and nightly festivities ruled the evenings during Facis. Elion had always found Muula to be too frivolous to his liking; the people were flighty, changeable, and enjoyed their pranks far too much for his comfort. In essence they were almost exactly like wind sprites and spirits.

“Like I said before, the body can tell us a lot,” Aria said as she watched Muula approach, “Depending on how the wings were removed this time, that could point us in a different direction. And were these sprites killed with this poison we’re hunting for? If not, what is he using it for?”

“Actually,” Elion began, “I have a theory about that. Do you know how to catch a sprite?” “Nope. If you remember I’m not from here,” Aria retorted sarcastically. Elion chuckled merrily. He was coming to enjoy her quips. They had taken him by surprise at first, and he had thought her somewhat rude. He was learning now that it was simply how she expressed herself. If he had to guess, Elion suspected the fire spirits probably favored her. She had the same passion and drive so common in fire spirits. Although, she was tempered with the stability of earth or water. Most likely, Aria was most probably like Elion and favored by several spirits who had granted her many gifts. Elion paused to clear his throat.

“Sprites are sneaky. They are smart and love pranks and are so incredibly flighty. It is only fitting since they are so close to the wind. But they are curious, and love to explore something if it catches their attention. I found sulfur and saltpeter in the poison mixture we found at the forest.” Aria stared at him blankly. “Powdered sulfur not only smells, but when it is combined with saltpeter and both are applied to a fire it creates bright, colorful flames and smoke, small explosions, and a rather distinctive smell. That is definitely enough to attract the curiosity and attention of a sprite. Perhaps play in the smoke? Smell it? Knowing sprites, they would most likely enjoy the loud noise and color. So now you have the sprite, but how do you kill it? It would surely know if you approached it with conventional weapons.”

Realization dawned on Aria’s face. “You drop the poison into the fire,” she stated slowly. “I think so yes,” Elion answered excitedly. “Then the remnants of the fire are taken with the suspect or swept away, leaving behind the circle we have found. Any damage to the sprite would happen after death. It would also explain why the spirits in the immediate area were unresponsive.” He shrugged. “At least I think that is what happened. It seems fairly possible that it could have happened.”

Aria nodded, although she looked unconvinced. It was true that he had no solid evidence other than the residue left behind, but there was no harm in brainstorming. They would go nowhere if they did not pursue something. Luckily, it seemed Elion had found a partner, if he could even call her that, which was as diligent in brainstorming and searching as he was. Without much ceremony, they entered Muula. The city seemed less crowded and busy than Eltal, but they had entered around the noon hour. Most people had probably gone home to eat and rest before returning after the heat had lessened.
Elion deftly guided Aria to the library. It was a typical Muulan building; its large glass windows were thrown open to capture the gentle breeze that rolled through the city. “I will leave you here,” Elion started politely. “Muula headquarters are down that way,” he pointed down the street. “It’s the only building in the city with a metal roof. You cannot miss it.”
Aria stopped him before he turned to leave. “Clearly I’m not from here,” she said, “Has anyone ever travelled to this land before? Like I have?” Elion cocked his head, the sunlight catching in his blue eyes. He brought up his hand and shaded his eyes as he thought. “I truly do not know. I have never met anybody from another realm, but just because I have not does not mean that somebody else has not.” He thought a moment more. “Surely you cannot be the first, nor the last. Perhaps a keeper in the library can help you research that as well. I would be interested to know about that as well.”

Politely, Elion bowed his head indicating his desire to leave. Aria noted it and waved him off, her own mind clearly absorbed in her current task. Elion smiled slightly as he headed towards headquarters. He wanted to investigate the sprite’s body before going any further.

[Victoria]

Stepping in to the old library, Aria was surprised to find all the windows wide open with a gentle breeze rolling through. She could hear pages being ruffled as people tried to prevent the wind from changing the page before they were ready. How was it a good idea to have that many windows open? But she didn’t have time to really stop and think about the structure of the building. She had facts to find before she headed over to the headquarters to find Elion. Glancing around, just like the libraries back home, it wasn’t hard to spot the kids section. It seemed she and Elion were on the same page about it being entirely possible that they might find something useful in a children’s book. Kneeling down in the soft floor, she scanned the various books on the shelf looking for anything that might be useful to them. “Can I help you locate something?” a kind voice asked and Aria glanced up.
“I’m looking for books about the contention legend,” she told the woman, but then realized that it might seem abnormal for someone of her age to be searching the children’s section. “For my daughter,” she added on smoothly. “She loves reading all about it.”

The young woman nodded before disappearing to the other side of the room for a moment. Good, that gave her time to look a little closer at the books here on the shelves.
‘The spirits and me’
‘Fire Earth Water and Air’
‘The Tricky Little Sprite’
None of these were helping her at all. But as she went to stand up, the woman returned, “I found a few. It is an old legend, the story is worn through and children these days don’t quite believe the way they used to. People have stopped writing about it as much. But perhaps your daughter will enjoy these.” She handed her a few books and Aria nodded her thanks.
“I’m sure she’ll love them,” she answered gratefully. Flipping open the first book, ‘The Great Contention’, she read through the first page or two. Exactly and Elion and Vesta had both said. It started as a war among men and grew to involve the spirits. But that would do little to help them now. It wasn’t about how it started that mattered at this point, it was how it ended.

But another book caught her eye in the stack, ‘The girl of two worlds’. Right there on the cover was a little girl standing at the edge of the forest, in a pink night gown, with her teddy tight in her grasp. Pushing up off the floor, she went over to the counter where the woman had wandered back to. “I have a question,” she prompted as she set the books down on the counter between them. When the woman looked up, she smiled politely, “This book,” she pointed to the one on top, “What’s the story behind it? I’ve never heard it before.”
“That one is about this little girl, beautiful as can be. She travelled to our world from another, all through her dreams.” The young woman smiled, “It was my favorite tale growing up. Truly made me question if there are other worlds in existence.”
“What does she have to do with the contention?” Aria pressed.
“She ended it.” She smiled, “Of course, it’s just a story. One little girl couldn’t end a war between spirits and man. However, it continues to make little girls all over Iriona believe they can make a difference.”

[athena]

The headquarters at Muula were built of iron and glass. Elion would have liked it better if it didn’t look quite so...well silly. It looked as if it were more of a hot house or a festival building rather than the home of the agentes. Secretly, Elion dreaded working with the agentes here. He had worked with them once before and found them to be a strange and frivolous lot, like most people in the city. They worked slowly and grew distracted easily; often investigations in Muula could drag on for months. Elion doubted that the report would have been compiled if he hadn’t sent out a message requesting such information.

Briskly he strolled into the building; it seemed that they were fond of the open door policy as the doors to the building were thrown wide open. Anybody on the street could peak in and see the classified investigations strewn about. Elion shook his head. Each city operated differently and he would have to deal with it until the investigation was solved. He paused, looking for somebody to assist him. Elion spotted a tired man hunched over his desk not too far off. Approaching, Elion tapped the man on the shoulder. “I am searching for the agente in charge of the sprite investigation.” The man turned. He appeared disheveled and confused. Elion stared more closely; the fool was stone drunk. He’d be lucky if he got any answer at all.

“Oh yea,” he slurred slowly. “Yer lerkin’ fer Baiae.” “And do you know where Baiae is?” Elion prompted. Drunkenly the man swung around and pointed at an open office across the room. Elion nodded as he pushed off from the desk and stalked to the office. He wasn’t sure who the dux of Muula was, but allowing such drunkenness in an agente who was at work was truly a sign of laxity. It was not his place to neither comment nor criticize though and Elion pushed his disapproval aside for the time. Instead, he focused on the feel of the grainy door as he knocked on it.

“Yes?” A sultry voice purred from the depths of the office. Elion stepped in, his files pressed tightly at his side. “I am Elion, dux of Eltal. I am here concerning the incident of the murdered sprite.” Baiae stood and arranged the folds of her clothing so that they highlighted her shapely figure. She mustered her most seductive smile and seemingly threw it at Elion. He only scowled.

“Of course you are,” she purred. “You are not what I was...expecting.” She licked her lips. “I would like to see the sprite’s body first,” Elion ignored her. “Right this way,” she smiled. Baiae’s antics were more annoying than distracting; he doubted that was her intention. Baiae led him to a small room in the back. “I hope you have taken the proper measures to keep the sprite here,” Elion said as she pushed into the room. “But of course,” she responded and skulked into the dimly lit room. Elion was starting to find the woman maddening – and not in the enjoyable way. He also suspected that she had not consulted with the wind spirits. He whispered quietly to himself, hoping that the wind would catch his words.

Carefully, Elion approached the table. He looked critically at the sprite, trying to find anything that might give him a clue. The body was not mangled like the previous sprite had been. Rather, it seemed to be in pristine condition, excluding its missing wings. Even those seemed to have been removed with the greatest of delicacy. “Where is the scene of death?” Elion questioned without removing his gaze from the sprite.

“Unfortunately, it was destroyed by some of the nightly festivities,” Baiae explained rather carelessly. A small knot of anger lodged in Elion’s chest. Such carelessness would only bring about more confusion and destruction. With a great amount of self-control, Elion swallowed his anger. He searched the sprite again, hoping another clue would make itself known. But he quickly learned that the body wasn’t of much use to him in its current state. He needed it to be buried if he truly wanted information from it. Aria seemed to think that something would show itself just by looking at the body though. In fact, she had insisted it would be of benefit. “Maybe to her,” Elion caught himself muttering beneath his breath.

Rather than despair at his apparently woeful deduction skills, Elion decided to give the sprite one last glance before leaving. His eyes lingered on the missing wings. Why take the wings? Why not mangle the sprite like before? Perhaps that had been a mistake? Elion remembered the burial tree in Eltal. It had said the man was spiritless. Spiritless as in he did not know the spirits? Or the spirits did not know him? Perhaps he did not have a connection to any? Would that make his murders an attempt to learn about the spirits? To bring him closer to them?

Elion’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted. Baiae leaned against his back heavily, thrusting her breasts beneath his shoulder blades. “Find anything?” she whispered. Elion felt a faint blush sweep across his face as he shrugged Baiae off. “Perhaps. I will return later with my associate,” he responded rather harshly, tired of her games. Baiae shrugged, a wolfish grin on her face. No doubt she had visions of a male associate. She would be sorely disappointed when he returned with Aria.

Thinking of Aria, Elion decided his best bet would be to leave the headquarters and find her. Nothing would be accomplished here with Baiae hanging around, at least not if Elion was there by himself. Not to mention he had to deliver the news that the scene had been destroyed, and he couldn’t find anything on the body. His suspicions may help, but Elion hoped that Aria had had more success in the library than he had at headquarters.

[Victoria]

This made no sense, there was no way one little girl with her teddy bear could end a massive war between unseen spirits and the men they ruled. It just wasn’t possible. That would be like saying some little boy ended World War Two. The scale was too great for that to be possible. “How did she end it?” Aria questioned further, leaning on the counter.
The young woman smiled, “You’ll just have to read the legend with your little one to find out,” she answered before slipping around the counter to go help someone else who needed her. It was just part of the legend, like the woman had said. It wasn’t like this little girl was the answer they had been searching for. And as Elion had said, the contention happened over 200 years ago, there was no way this little girl was even still alive. But maybe there was a way they could use the legend to help them figure out the answer this time around. Maybe they didn’t need this little girl, they just needed her story. Collecting the books from the counter where they sat, she moved on to a darker part of the library.

Spirit History

Scanning the shelves, she looked for the book Elion had mentioned. Something about connecting with spirits for beginners that was used in early schooling. There was no such book on the shelf. At least not that she could see anywhere. Maybe the book Elion had found was the one from here, but then why would the killer set up shop that far from where the first kill took place? Unless he left it behind in his haste to leave Eltal and needed a new copy.

Going over to the main desk, she caught the attention of another woman, “Has anyone borrowed books about spirit connecting for beginners. My daughter is anxious to learn which one will grow most for her. So much so she doesn’t want to wait for her schooling.”
The woman smiled, “Unfortunately that book went missing a few days ago,” she answered.
Well that answered that, “Thank you.” Aria nodded. There wasn’t much else she would find useful around here without raising too much suspicion. She didn’t need people to know she wasn’t from this world.

Heading out of the library with the books in hand, she set off towards the headquarters to find Elion. But as she moved through the crowded streets she flipped open the top book. “Reading and walking, and yet you don’t bump into anything, you have the skill and grace of the wind,” a woman’s voice said, catching Aria’s attention. “Though I sense great fire in you as well.”
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Aria asked.
“I’m afraid not,” she shook her head, “But I feel we will grow to know each other quite well in the future.”
Aria shook her head, “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
“You will understand some day,” she answered with a smile, “For now you may call me Haizea.” She glanced at the book Aria had in her hand, “Learning about the girl of two worlds?”
“It’s an old favorite,” she nodded.
“She’s closer than you know,” Haizea smiled, “She can help you on your quest.”
Aria looked at the pictures in the book and then back to Haizea, “Did you know her?”
She laughed, soft and melodically, “No,” she answered, “But look in a mirror and you just might find her waiting with the answers you seek.”
What the hell did that mean?

[athena]

The crowd had grown surprisingly thick since Elion had entered the headquarters. He had expected the streets to be empty still; after all, it was still considered the lunch and rest hours. As gently as possible, Elion pushed aside a man who was blocking his path. Elion hoped that Aria was still in the library. If she was out and about in this crowd, looking for him, things would certainly grow confusing and complicated. Shouldering aside yet another person Elion thought he caught a glimpse of familiar curly hair. He stood on tiptoe just to be sure. It was most definitely Aria. And she was chatting with a woman. For somebody who could come of as brusque and antisocial, she sure seemed to make acquaintances rather quickly.

Elion pushed through the crowd, slowly growing closer to Aria and her guest. Suddenly, the woman turned to face Elion. She smiled grimly. It was almost as if she had an intense dislike of him. His eyebrow shot up questioningly. A sense of foreboding stole across him and he had a sinking suspicion that another spirit had decided to manifest in a human form. They seemed to be more active than usual and very much drawn to Aria. That could either be an incredibly good sign or a bad one. Elion was unsure which though. With a final push, he managed to reach Aria, but the woman had disappeared into the crowd. Elion scanned the crowd hoping to find he stranger but she had vanished. It only confirmed his suspicions.

Sighing, he turned back to Aria. “Did you have any luck at the library?” Aria looked up at him, confusion written clearly across her face. “What is this?” She thrust an old book into his hands. His fingers brushed the cover. It was a familiar story; it had been Zara’s favorite when she was a girl. He looked sharply at Aria and back to the cover of the book. “What did that woman want?” Aria waved her hands in defeat. She briefly explained the conversation to Elion. He stared at her harder. Absently, he plucked a leaf from her hair and tossed it aside. “That little girl,” he started curiously, “could it have been you?” Everything around them seemed to freeze as Aria considered the possibility. Elion expected her to protest, but she surprisingly remained silent. “We already know that time travels differently between here and Springmount. I think, at this point, anything is possible. It would be unwise to rule out any possibilities.”

Aria only nodded. The silence seemed to grow uncomfortable. Elion cleared his throat to break it. “I have some unfortunate news.” Aria looked at him expectantly. “The sprite’s death scene...it has been destroyed. The agentes here were careless and did not post a guard. Apparently, the citizens destroyed it during they’re nightly festivities.” Aria scowled. “What about the body?” she snapped, her former self returning. “It’s intact. I looked at it, but I am afraid I found nothing. I believe you would be better suited to that task.” He produced a small folded square from his pocket and patiently unfolded it. Gently, Elion collected Aria’s books and placed them in his satchel. “We can ponder over these tonight.” He paused a moment, wondering if Aria would even be there in the evening. She had a strange penchant for popping in and out at the most unexpected times. Elion shrugged. It would be however it was meant to be.

“We need to question the apothecaries at some point,” Elion began as he glanced towards the sky. “I’m not sure if we will be able to reach many though. It seems that the evening is approaching more rapidly than anticipated.” As if to reaffirm his statement, a loud bang of a merchant closing his shop resounded through the streets. In truth, it was only a few hours past noon, far too soon to be closing shop. But Muula was strange. Work was limited and festivities were the highlight. The citizens would be getting ready soon. “I suppose it would be better to view the sprite first. I am confident you will find something of use.”

Elion trailed off as he recalled Baiae. He fidgeted uncomfortably. “What?” Aria asked, hardly missing a beat. “Uhm...well...” he stuttered, unsure of exactly how to phrase it. “Spit it out already!” Aria exclaimed as she tossed him an impatient look. “The agente heading the Muula investigation, Baiae, is a rather...forward woman. Rather persistent in her goal. Which has nothing to do with our investigation, but is of a more...personal nature.” Aria smirked and Elion felt a blush sweep briefly across his cheeks. “I am not looking forward to her advances,” he stated matter of factly. “Or her lack of professionalism, or her lack of skills for that matter.” He shrugged, trying to brush the matter aside. Her advances hardly bothered him. It was her complete inability, or the appearance of it, that aggravated him. “Regardless, I think we should head there before everybody leaves for the evening,” Elion concluded. Steeling himself, he set the course for headquarters.

[Victoria]

Was she the little girl? The idea seemed positively ridiculous, but at this point, he was right. Anything was possible. But he had also said previously that the last contention happened anywhere from 200 to 300 years ago. Which even with time differences between here and Springmount she didn’t think it was that drastic of a difference. And that brought her back around to how a scared five year old could end such a war. That seemed more absurd to her than anything else at this point. It was only 23 years ago that she would have been able to connect with this place, even double that and it still wasn’t nearly enough. But that wasn’t the point right now, Elion was right, they could study the books more later on after everything was closed. They had to make the most of their time during the day. But when he started in about this Baiae chick she felt her teeth clench. There was nothing worse than a woman that didn’t take her job seriously in a field dominated by men. It just further proved their opinion that women couldn’t handle it. She hadn’t even met this woman yet and she already disliked her. Not only for her lack of respect for crime scene and the investigation they were heading. But even just her blatant disrespect for Elion. She didn’t like people like that. Who thought they could have whatever they wanted.

She smirked though at his obvious discomfort by Baiae’s advances. He was obviously too formal, he needed to loosen up a little and take amusement in her pathetic attempts. But this was clearly going to be an issue once they reached headquarters, she was going to be in the way. And thankfully, Aria had the perfect solution to get Baiae out of their hair to both benefit the investigation and Elion not looking so much like a tomato. “If I can have a pretend daughter,” she noted, “You can have a pretend girlfriend.” When he looked at her like she was speaking another language, she laughed. “It’s common where I come from to have a decoy if you will to ward off unwanted advances. Though generally it’s a woman trying to scare off some perv looking for a one night stand. But it works here too.”
There seemed to be some understanding cross his gaze but he still asked, “Pretend daughter?”
“It would look a little weird having an adult woman searching the shelves in the children’s department without a good excuse.” She pointed out to him. “Little whatshername was quite handy while you were off being hit on.”

As they approached the building she assumed was headquarters here in Muula, she smirked at him. As they stepped inside, she glanced around. She wanted to see the body because unlike him, she knew what she was looking for. And just because the crime scene was destroyed didn’t entirely mean they couldn’t get something from the area. They still had options. She followed Elion down the hallway to where she assumed they were keeping the body.
“Welcome back,” a sultry voice said as who she assumed was Baiae stepped from the nearby office.
Aria stepped up beside Elion and with a slight side glance to him, placed her hand on his arm, “Thank you for accommodating us.”

[athena]

Aria’s talk of pretend daughters and lovers had been rather vague and confusing. The concept was not entirely foreign to Elion though. He had heard of people using pretend relatives or lovers to avoid others, but to him it had always seemed like lying. It had its uses he supposed, but Elion tried to avoid situations that would require such falseness. However, his current situation was unavoidable. And it seemed that Aria only wanted to return the favor. He simply nodded. If it would get them closer to solving the investigation, Elion could have a false lover for a few hours. It would harm nothing.

He held the door open politely for Aria and she slid inside. The state of the building was the same as before. Except for the drunken fellow. He had managed to stagger off somewhere. That was probably for the best. If he had been upset about such poor behavior, Aria would undoubtedly be livid. And Elion had little doubt that she would have let the fellow know it. He had to suppress a chuckle as the scene played out in his head. With a cough, Elion swallowed his suppressed laughter and took the lead with Aria slightly behind him.

It was not long before Baiae appeared. She sauntered from her office. Immediately, Aria stepped up and slid her arm into Elion’s. She gave a sweet smile. “Thank you for accommodating us.” The smile slipped from Baiae’s face as she surveyed Aria. The tension in the room increased as the women stared each other down. “Is this the companion you mentioned earlier?” Baiae questioned, trying to regain her seductive air. “It is,” Elion replied simply. He drew Aria nearer and gave her a soft smile while his eyes crinkled up with mischief. Hopefully his act would convince the agente, but Baiae seemed only mildly put off by this new development.

“As I mentioned before, I have brought my companion, Aria, here to look over the body as well.” Baiae motioned to the room. Navigating himself and Aria between the desks and clutter was no small feat, but Elion managed. Skillfully he hoped. To his dismay though, he found that Baiae had trailed them. It seemed as if she had her own intentions. It seemed Aria had her own too though. “That will be all. We’ve got it from here.” Baiae looked terribly offended. And miffed. She looked at Elion, sending him a look somewhere between pleading and seductive. He only raised his eyebrow. “Aria has spoken. I learned long ago not to cross my love.” Baiae’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. For a brief moment Elion thought the agente might say something catty in an attempt to pick a fight. Instead, she skulked back to her office, not looking once over her shoulder.

Together, they ducked into the room. Instantly, Aria dropped his arm and approached the table and sprite. Elion leaned against the wall, waiting patiently. He did not wish to interrupt her thought process. Instead he watched her intently in the hopes that maybe he would be able to glean some kind of knowledge from her. The process of observing a body was completely foreign to him; Elion felt at such a loss when it came to this. He played with the strings on the satchel and waited. And waited some more. Time seemed to pass slowly. At some point, Baiae stopped in. She watched a moment and then announced she was leaving for the festivities. Elion simply waved her off.

Finally, Aria seemed content. She looked up and nodded. “We should leave then,” Elion declared. “I do not much care to stay here. Or roam the streets during the nightly festivities. I know a good inn. We will go there to discuss the matter.” He turned sharply on his heel and led the way. Everybody had left; there was no more need for acting.

Outside headquarters, the celebration was in full swing. Loud music thrummed through the crow and people sang and drank about them. Gently Elion took Aria’s hand in his. He told himself it was simply so that they would not be separated, but he could not help but feel somewhat pleased with the situation. Weaving in and out of the crowd, the duo managed to reach The Crowned Goose in a matter of minutes. The common room was as lively and crowded as it was on the streets. Elion pushed aside some men at the bar and drew the inn keep’s attention. He politely requested adjoining rooms. Smiling, the innkeeper passed over the keys and mentioned he would send up dinner. If the man said anything else, it was lost in a roar of laughter. Elion passed one key to Aria and quickly moved towards the stairs. He was anxious to hear if she had found any leads.

They found the rooms without much difficulty. Elion stepped in and found the room to be to his liking. Without much ceremony he dropped his satchel, plopped on the bed, and stripped his boots. He stretched out a moment before looking eagerly at Aria. “So,” he started. “What did you find?”

[Victoria]

What did she find? The problem was that she wasn’t sure. She wasn’t familiar with what a healthy, living sprite looked like, so it was hard to tell what made this one so… well, dead. From what she had gathered though the wings were cleanly removed, almost like that of a feather plucked from a chicken. If she had to take a guess though, the wings of s sprite were far more delicate than the feather of a chicken. The first body had been mangled, but this one had been dealt with care. The MO was changing each time. It made no sense. To hear that meant it was a group act. That there were several killers. But it didn’t appear as if that were even possible. But then there was a lot about this case that just didn’t seem possible to her.
“The wings were plucked which doesn’t indicate the use of tools at all,” she started as she sat down in a chair across from him. “But based off how delicate the wings appear to be, I can’t imagine that process went well for our killer. Which means there’s another one coming.” And soon. She hated to admit to him that the body didn’t offer much, but sometimes that was just the case. “I’m not exactly an ME so I don’t know everything to look at on the body. But this time around, unfortunately, it’s not telling us much at all.”

At least the day wasn’t a total waste, they still had the books she had found in the library. And her little conversation with Haizea in the streets before he had found her again. But that once again brought up the question of how a five year old could stop a war. “The book you asked me to look for,” she noted, her thoughts suddenly changing path again, “I talked to the librarian and she said it went missing a few days ago. Which tells me you’re right on par that our killer is in Muula. There’s just so many people here, it’s hard to know who he is.”

Getting up, she walked over to the window and looked out into the streets below them. She couldn’t live in a place like this. Where it was one big party every night. Where the supposed law enforcement let a crime scene go to waste just because there were festivities going on. She couldn’t handle being somewhere where everything was disorganized and there was no real respect shown for anything. But as she stared out the window, just over the surrounding buildings she could see the wind pick up, whipping through the trees almost angrily. She watched it for a moment, trying to figure out if it meant something, if it meant anything at all. But the longer she watched the more violent the wind seemed to get, and only in that one area. “Ellion…” she started as she looked back at him, but when she turned back, the trees were calm as ever.

The window in front of her suddenly burst open and the wind was swirling through the room. Anger, she could feel it rush at her with a force she didn’t understand. “Another!” the wind hissed and her eyes grew wide. Just as quickly as it had started, the wind stopped.
“Please tell me I’m hearing things,” she whispered.

[athena]

As the wind whipped through the room, the blood drained from Elion’s face. He heard the wind screeching its anger. He knew what it said without even listening. Aria though, looked rather started. She turned towards Elion. “Please tell me I’m hearing things,” she whispered. He felt sorry for her. Normally Iriona was a relatively calm place. The spirits were not so aggressive, but with all these murders things had obviously changed. Under other circumstances he was sure Aria would have found Iriona easier to cope with and learn about.

He slowly shook his head. “I am afraid not. There has been another murder. We need to leave before the festivities ruin the scene.” Quickly, Elion pulled his boots and collected his sketching materials. Aria was right at his heels. “Perhaps we are lucky. I do not think the killer knows we are here. And the scene will be intact for us to investigate.” No murder could be considered a good thing but maybe with this murder they would finally be able to find something to move the case along further. Together the two of them pushed through the crowd, Elion focusing on the directions the wind spirits gave to him.

They arrived at the entryway to an alley. The wind nudged them both into the alley; its intensity had faded and had taken on a gentle persistence. Aria looked up at him as if searching for confirmation. Perhaps she was beginning to understand the spirits and their way of communication. If that was the case, it could not have happened sooner. Aria would need such a connection if she were to fully understand this case.

Carefully, Elion shuffled down the alley. There was enough lighting from the festival to illuminate the body of the third sprite. A small gasp escaped him. The head of this sprite had been cleanly removed. There was no blood either. Although Elion was familiar sprites, he was not entirely sure if they bled. He looked back at Aria, his face pale. “I am going to sketch this scene. Would you mind investigating?” Aria was already ahead of him, searching the scene. Elion flipped open his pad and immediately began a quick outline. It only took him a few minutes to draw the scene and fill in the details.

Elion quietly joined Aria at her side and searched the scene himself. The indications of fire and smoke that had been present at the first scene were not nearly as prominent, but were nonetheless present. His thoughts drifted back to the idea he had earlier. “Aria,” he started. “When we were at the burial tree in the forest, the earth spirits in the tree told me that the killer was spiritless. I did not understand at the time, but I think I do now. I believe that the man is literally spiritless. He has no connection to any spirit and none look after him. It has been recorded that it happens occasionally; they have no connection to the spirits and so live a life without a connection to them or knowledge of the balance. I think our killer is searching for a spirit. It would explain his bumbling attempts and evolution. And all the books we found, or the lack thereof. It is only a theory at this stage, but it seems that the more we find the truer it seems.”

Gently he scooped up the sprite’s body. He would be unable to block off the crime scene. Hopefully, Aria had finished investigating. “I must take this body to headquarters; it will rest with its compatriot for now. I hope you are done. I will be unable to protect this site after we leave.”

He straightened and handed the sketchpad to Aria. “The scene is in there. As well as a rough idea of what our man looks like. I will go to headquarters now. You can finish up here and we will meet up at the inn.”

Elion did not wait to hear her response; instead he headed off into the crowd as he tried to shield the sprite from view.