Glenn had to find this Jahid, if he was still in town, and question him about these crystals. First, offering a possibility for who had unleashed both Shaitan and a Rakshasha in Grassea would interest Leo and take his mind off finding Anna. Second, Glenn truly did want to catch whoever had committed such a heinous act. Zack could have died. Anyone could have died.

“What’s Jahid look like?” Glenn asked Jacob.

The man frowned. “He’s uh ... he’s tall.”

“And?”

“Got a beard.”

“What color?”

“Brown ... I think?” Jacob winced. “Look, I’ll be honest with you. I really can’t say. So many people come and go every day I rarely pay attention to how they look. Except Anna Ironstar ... or Bronzelight, I suppose. Gods, she was a vision.”

Glenn resisted the urge to rub his face, and not just because it was fully hidden by his helmet. “If you saw him again, could you identify him?”

“Oh sure,” Jacob said, then paled. “So ... are you asking me to do that?”

“I’m afraid I have to. We can’t let a man who may be unleashing Demons in our zone wander freely through Wolfpine or Grassea. The crystals in the pouch I just found? I think they’re Demon crystals.”

Jacob turned absolutely white. “Gods! What if one cracks open?”

Glenn raised one hand to reassure the now visibly terrified man. “Demons can’t enter Wolfpine. The Gods don’t allow Monsters or Demons inside the walls. So if the crystals did crack, the Demons inside would simply evaporate.”

Jacob regained just a bit of his former color. “Right, but ... it’s still dangerous, isn’t it?”

“The Law of Consent will protect you from Jahid,” Glenn assured the man. “If it comes to an arrest, I’m the only one who will face any risk. Don’t attempt to arrest him and you’ll be perfectly safe. And I need you, Jacob. You may be the only person who can help Wolfpine.”

At that, Jacob visibly perked up. “You’re serious?”

“I can’t do this without you,” Glenn said calmly. “If you help me, you’ll be a hero.”

Jacob smiled. He certainly seemed to like the sound of that, and Glenn would see the man got full credit for helping him arrest Jahid Rockhollow ... if the man was indeed guilty of the crimes Glenn suspected. Hopefully, the notoriety would get him some free drinks at The Mead Beast.

“Right,” Jacob said. “Okay, I’m ready. Where do we start?”

Glenn motioned to the door out of the public storage house. “Let’s head to the town square. We’ll search from there. If Jahid is in town today, we’ll hopefully run across him after a short search.”

And if this Jahid was among those hunting Anna Bronzelight, Glenn added silently, he would definitely be in Wolfpine today. He wouldn’t want his quarry to slip through his fingers. He’d want to make sure Anna was found and brought to the town square to face Leo.

Jacob pushed the door open. “I know the way. Follow me!”

With the prospect of some (safe) excitement ahead, Jacob seemed truly motivated to help Glenn find his quarry. Glenn followed in stoic silence. The daily drudgery of Jacob’s life was depressing, so he was glad to give the man this small bit of novelty.

Together, they reached the town square and did a thorough search. Jacob looked around constantly, but offered no indication they’d found their quarry. Glenn spotted Leo sitting patiently in the middle of the town square, knees spread and ankles crossed. With the butt of his [Steel Spear] resting on the cobblestones and his [Steel Armor] gleaming in the sun, he looked all but a statue.

As annoying as his efforts to find Anna might be, Leo wasn’t the enemy here. He, like the Blazers, was simply being used by Anna’s scheming brother. If Glenn could find, apprehend, and question Jahid Rockhollow, perhaps he could convince the man to admit his part in this foul business from Anna’s brother in exchange for leniency.

Then he wouldn’t have to reveal he’d helped Anna evade Leo’s capture in the first place.

Jacob led Glenn from street to street for longer than he expected. They went up Market Street more than once. Just when Glenn was about ready to give up and try a new tack, Jacob sucked in his breath. He stopped dead, turned to Glenn, and smiled.

“Found him.” Thank the Gods, Jacob had the common sense not to point at their fugitive.

“Where?” Glenn asked quietly.

“He’s the tall, bearded man in the [Moonsilk Robes] leaning against the wall at the end of the street. He’s got a small scar beneath his left eye.”

Glenn frowned inside his helmet. “The scar is a good detail. You didn’t remember it earlier?”

“Just did,” Jacob said proudly.

Glenn covertly glanced toward the end of the street. Jahid showed no indication he had noticed or cared that a Town Guard was doing the rounds, and why would he? Town Guards were all over the town this morning, along with every Adventurer in the town.

Except Jahid. Jahid seemed completely uninterested in Leo’s Quest, even though a moon was a decent reward even for a Level 26 Mindbender. Glenn’s suspicions grew.

“Head back to the public storage house,” Glenn said. “I’ll take it from here.”

“I can’t watch you arrest him?” Jacob asked hopefully. “I’d really like to watch you arrest him.”

Jacob’s enthusiasm was a bit off-putting, but Glenn couldn’t think of any way the man could be harmed. “I don’t know if I’m going to arrest him. I just want to question him.”

“But I can stay. In case you do.”

Glenn held back a sigh. “Sure. Just ... stay by the Merchants. And stay close to the wall.”

Jacob beamed at him. “You got it!”

Glenn left Jacob in the shadow of the nearest building and approached the bearded man in the [Moonsilk Robes] lounging at the end of the street. [Moonsilk] was a valuable material created from the silk of pale Moon Spiders in high Level zones, Monsters Glenn was glad he’d never have to fight himself. Unlike Cliff Spiders, Moon Spiders were said to be the size of a decently large horse.

Jahid didn’t look up as Glenn approached. He looked bored as Glenn stopped before him. Yet after more than three months of watching people and reading body language, Glenn didn’t miss the way the man subtly shifted his feet. He looked nervous. He looked like he was thinking of running.

“Jahid Rockhollow?” Glenn asked calmly.

Jahid frowned his way. “Who’s that?”

The man’s open denial of his identity was another red flag. Glenn stepped forward. “Mister Rockhollow, I need to ask you some questions. It would be easier to speak at my barracks. Can I ask you to come with me, please?”

“No.” Jahid straightened. “On what charge?”

“So you are Jahid.”

“Doesn’t matter who I am,” Jahid said irritably. “What did I do? Why are you hassling me?”

“I just have a few questions. Answer those, and I’m sure I can see you on your way.” As to where Glenn would send him, well ... he left that unsaid for obvious reasons.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Jahid said irritably. “So tell me what you think I did so I can tell you to walk off into the sun, or leave me be.”

So Jahid was leaving him no choice. Even with his [God Armor] and Skills, it wasn’t lost upon Glenn that this man was a full 16 Levels above him. The Shrike had been about the same, but still ... that man hadn’t been a Mindbender.

Glenn had heard terrible things about what this Class could do with mental attacks. With his average Divinity, he’d be particularly at risk. Once he attempted an arrest, would his [God Armor] protect him against mental Skills as well as physical ones? He’d actually never asked.

Yet after revealing his interest in Jahid, he couldn’t leave for backup. The man would certainly flee. It was all too obvious now that Jahid was up to something nefarious in Wolfpine, even if the crystals Glenn had found at the public storage house weren’t what he thought.

Glenn should have found Chelsea before confronting Jahid, but he’d been so excited by his discovery he’d let his urge to help Anna overcome his good sense. Yet there was no turning back. He could only move forward. Glenn reached behind his back and pulled his [Lawgiver Cuffs] from his belt.

“If that’s how it must be, I’m afraid I have no choice. Jahid Rockhollow, I’m now placing you under arrest for suspicion of harming fellow Adventurers. If you don’t—”

Jahid vanished in the middle of the street. A Rakshasha roared toward Glenn in Jahid’s place. Glenn yelped and barely got his shield up before the four-armed demon battered it with all four gleaming swords. It sent Glenn stumbling back as he flailed about for his [Guardian Mace].

He freed his weapon, finally. Yet before he swung at the Demon wailing away on his shield, his mind questioned what his eyes, arm, and ears revealed. If what the church said was true, no Rakshasha should be able to exist inside Wolfpine. So even if Jahid had shattered a crystal, how was one here?

Also, while the feeling of those blades hitting his shield sounded real, it felt ... off, somehow. Like how a person who’d never actually blocked a sword with a shield would think it might be to do so.

Illusions. He’d been tricked. The moment Glenn officially tried to arrest Jahid, the Law of Consent had been suspended. While that meant Glenn could assault Jahid if necessary, it also meant Jahid could assault him right back ... or in this case, use his deceptive Mindbender Skills to flee.

Yet Jahid hadn't escaped yet.