I imagine we are following down some form of a back tunnel to escape if the main passageway collapses.

The fact that it was hidden behind a brothel seems fitting.

I think, darkly.

The secret tunnel is long and dark. Further, the tunnel itself is narrow and small, Burk and Har hunch over as they push their wagon down a slight incline.

A large bat-like creature easily as big as a big dog flies out seemingly from nowhere and attacks the pair of bodysnatchers.

Har holds it off with the shield.

Burk pulls out a sling and places a sharp rock inside the pouch.

He swings the shepherd's weapon around and throws the rock.

The crack resounds at it the rock catches the wing of the creature.

The large bat flutters low, brought down by a simple tool.

Burk strolls over, a club in hand, and brutally beats it to death.

The creature's dying cries echo throughout the tunnel walls.

Har spits at the dead creature.

"You got it good, Burk." says Har.

"You know I always do, bloody vermin, they don't even taste good." replies Burk.

"Like boiled leather." Har laughs at what he thinks is a funny joke.

"Shut it. come on, let's go. Something ain't right, I got a bad feeling."

He suspects.

But he knows nothing.

The two hurry off with their body.

Follow them, this should prove to be interesting.

I stalk behind them and down and down we go.

"Ah, finally." Burk's voice rings out. "We're here."

"Think if we had to go through the catacombs. All the bats and zombies. It would be terrible." comments Har.

"Yes, I know, that is why we go through one of the tunnels so we can avoid them. Every night, man. Keep it down and let me do the talking, we will be at Booze Barrel drinking beers and out of this shithole." commands Burk.

They come to what seems to be a dead end.

However, Burk and Har walk through the cave wall as if it is made of nothing.

An illusion?

You're the expert here.

Whoever we are dealing with is quite powerful to pull off a spell of that skill and keep it going.

We will learn nothing here, and I have no doubt you can handle yourself against this Magi. You've faced worse and survived.

I had friends then.

You have me now.

And how many spells can you cast?

Point taken.

I take a deep breath and walk through the illusionary wall.

Inside is a Magi research chamber.

The room is lit by floating candles that burn a pink flame, which brings a weird cheer to an ominous place. It has the usual books scattered across a stone table, with scrawlings written on many piles of parchment. It also has glass domes with zombies and bats floating inside that circle the room. In the centre is a cauldron that currently has steam rising from it.

A woman in white robes who stands by the table argues with Burk and Har berating them for how long they took to retrieve the specimen.

She is bald but with thick black eyebrows beneath with glare intense black eyes. The robe is open in vertical lines with buttons as a coat does and she is wearing a pink top and skirt that matches the lights of the room.

I sneak around till I am hiding behind the glass domes and facing the back of the Magi.

"It's not our fault it ran off." complains Har.

The Magi slaps him.

A flash of magic, and a hiss whispers from next to Har's ear.

She conjured a snake, but I have never seen one like it before. A spell I don't know, it's quick to boot.

"You know, Har. I like you, I really do. But you don't know when to keep quiet. My pretty, however, can do that for me"

"Mistress." pleads Burk.

"It will eat your brain slowly from the inside the out then occupy its space. You would be the perfect obedient slave but without any of you remaining." she laughs.

Silence greets her attempt at a joke.

"What nothing to say now? Whatever. What do you say?"

"Sorry, Mistress Noelle." says Har, his head bowed low.

The snake fades as quickly as it had been summoned.

"Good. That is how I like you."

She smiles a smile that is as warm as sunlight but her eyes are as still and cold as a muddy pool.

"Now onto business, I need the two of you to keep bringing the better bodies that have been coming in these last few weeks. I don't know or care how you are getting the corpses so fresh but I am finally making progress in the experiments. Once that baby dragonling is finally captured as I requested over a moon, may I add, I believe with my new findings I can create a more powerful lich dragon. One that is far more discreet and requires less maintenance than my baby."

"As you say, Mistress." says Burk.

"However, your payments and my work continue only so long as no one knows what we are doing. If the Ecclesia or the Tower found out what I am doing it is over. So no more excuses about retrieving the zombies. Bring them in and you get extra pay, fail, and hang for all to see. Understood?"

"Yes, Mistress Noelle." Says Burk and Har in unison.

While she is talking, I move slowly around to the table

I scan through the papers and find mention of the Circle. I find a letter from Lord M. Le Fey asking for a report on how his funds are being used. I find a response to Le Fey that is unfinished and it contains too much jargon to be understood. A knife stained with dried blood rests on the table.

She is with the Circle and connected to that psychopath.

Yes, the Archmage spoke of them with hints of respect and judging from your memories, he is powerful. He would have made a fine captain in Undanlian's grand republic.

Who is this Undanlian?

The First and Last Emperor, he who found and shattered the Empire and from whose graces life may flourish. From his Will, trillions die but by uniting his enemies trillions survive to die free from domination. My master and the tyrant of my mortal existence who I failed to escape through false death but fled beyond his reach in rebirth with you. A being greater than even your Archmage who makes dragons seem like mice.

Oh.

And who is not relevant right now.

Right.

"Your payment is on the pouches over there." Noelle says pointing to the table.

The table where I was hiding behind.

Quick, if I miss, I doubt I will have the time to struggle.

I leap over the table and grab the bloody knife.

I see her eyes widen and her mouth part.

I plunge the blade deep into her heart.

She gasps and falls forward.

I withdraw the point and thrust the blade at her neck.

The blade slides through the base of her skull and upwards out through her eye socket.

The bodysnatchers gasp.

I kick her body away and pull out the knife.

Her body drops lifeless.

Before they have time to flee, I cut them down.

Burk chokes on his blood from a slash across his throat.

Har manages to turn and take the blade through the back of the skull.

The steel punctured through the flesh and out his open mouth.

He chokes on steel and a silent, unspoken, scream.

The murders took less than a minute.

I drop the knife and blink as a frenzy of energy and sorrow swirls and forms into guilt and shame.

Do you still feel sadness when you extinguish life, even after the number of people you have killed?

"Every time. It never became easy."

It is worthy of respect, to care.

"I feel colder like I little less of me exists with every life I take. No matter what horrors they wreck, or little choice I have. An ice creeps further, I feel less, my appetite diminishes as if I am losing my very ability to desire at all."

Killing... is the mage moving?

I turn around as Leokan's thoughts ring clear in my mind.

"Who dares disrupt my work!" Noelle calls out weakly.

I stare with disdain at the twitching body of the Magi.

"Rogue Magi, I am August of Killie and mine is the last face you will ever see."

"Haha, I know that name. Le Fey's mistake and the latest pet of Archmage's pup, this is a good night. The loss of a puppet and a failed experiment is a cheap cost to kill the one responsible for Barhrom's death in the judgement of the Circle."

A clone?

"This will be your tomb!"

A surge of magical energy activates in a dome of pink light.

The walls shake and then collapse bringing the ceiling to come crashing down.