I was taken to the police headquarters. It was a long trip, taking around an hour. The first floater we went to was some kind of gondola station and from there we descended into the city proper. Well, sort of. I was very quickly taken to what looked like a train station underground. The train carriage we boarded didn’t have an engine. Instead, runes in a language I had never seen were scribbled on the ground. One person, wearing attire that led me to believe he was a railway attendant, stood on that and we lurched forward, making our way across the winding tracks, just like that.

Now I was sitting in an interrogation room, alone. They had taken the killer into another room. I had waited for an hour before another soul joined me.

He looked older than me but not by much. He was wearing a red coat, just like the lady back at the apartment. In his hand was a small glass mirror, more mysterious runes etched onto it. He sat down in the chair directly in front of me, placing his arms on the desk.

Oddly, I was distracted by his black hair. I vaguely wondered if we went through the same hair treatments, given how it looked so similar to mine. His hair was styled much differently than mine though, a middle part creating a very nice wave on each side. It almost reminded me of those Kpop singers who styled it that way. He was definitely handsome enough to pull it off.

“You’ve been through a lot, Griffin.” His voice was gentle, inviting, yet also deep, not really matching up with his presence and demeanor.

I could only nod in response.

“May I ask your age?”

“Twenty one.”

He nodded, producing a notebook and pen and marking it down and then looked up at me. A smile. It was a genuine smile, one that reached his eyes and it was enough to ease my nerves.

“Allow me to release your handcuffs.” He stepped up and moved around me, using a key to unlock them before settling back down. I rubbed at my wrists, trying to get the blood to flow back into them. Whoever applied them had done so on the tightest notch possible.

“I’m Captain Percival. The other suspect, Rauk Tobflin, had already informed me that he was the sole responsible criminal and that you, Griffin, were a victim.”

I nodded, surprised that the killer had turned himself in like that. Well, I guess it made sense given just how terrified he was. It really didn’t seem like he was a killer deep down.

“Currently, his motivations are still unknown, as he was unwilling to provide me with any further information. It’s likely that we will get it by nightfall, as most of the criminals we get around these parts aren’t very good at staying silent. Of course, I have a plan to get him to speak but first I want to inquire about the events as you saw them.”

I didn’t really know where to start so I tried to explain it all, that I was teleported here unknowingly but it felt like a dream, that I had been taken in by the couple, that we planned to go see some high mage, that I had helped them clean and even used their bathroom. Once I got to the break-in, though, my throat closed and I found it suddenly terribly hard to speak. I wasn’t sure if I cried. It took me a while to get my composure, my stomach suddenly twisting itself into knots, but Percival was patient and waited through all my starts and stops.

Eventually, though, I had explained the entirety of the events to him. He thanked me for getting through everything, in detail.

“Rauk Tobflin,” he said, after having written down everything in his notebook, “was their next door neighbor. We don’t have any records of him but that is rather common for those living in the floaters. Cases like these are extremely rare, especially for a suspect without a prior history of violence. The most concerning part in your story is that it seems he was put up to this by someone else. It’s rather unlikely that the couple themselves were the cause of the scene. Instead, as you seem to recognize, he was after you.”

I nodded. He had told me to stay seated in the chair as he watched me back in the room.

“It’s rather perplexing though, why he would wait to be caught.”

After a moment’s pause, he moved the mirror that had been set off to the side to the middle of the table.

“Here, place your hand on this tablet.” I had initially thought it was a mirror but once I placed my hand upon it, I realized he was right in calling it a tablet. Information appeared on the screen.

Griffin T. Age: 22 Class: Undefined Level: 1 Abilities: None Specialties: None Artifacts: None Divinities: ? Quests: None

“What does all this mean? What is this?” I said, staring rather blankly at the tablet.

“This,” he gestured to the information, “is a collection of data points that center on various aspects of your identity, abilities, and, most importantly, relationship to magic. In a way, domains, the fundamental center of magic here, categorize and classify us as we, generally, are specific nodal points that exist along the paths that are domains. It’s really an attempt by us to understand this information and translate it into something intelligible.”

“Wow, that’s pretty fascinating. It seems almost like it's a video game or something.”

Percival looked at me quizzically so I quickly explained.

“Uh well,” I paused, trying to come up with something that would get the idea across. “Video games are like a form of entertainment in my world. It’s almost like a theater performance except it's by yourself and you solve puzzles and stuff.” It wasn’t a perfect explanation but it was better than trying to describe League of Legends or Call of Duty to him. “So my class is undefined.” I said returning to the tablet. “Is that bad?”

“It’s unusual for sure. Perhaps I can give you some information afterwards to help you figure your situation out?”

“Oh, wow, that would be a huge help. The couple before—” My voice caught. A profound sadness settled on me, black and bitter. I had only known them for a little while but that was enough of a window into their quaint quiet lives that I felt a connection.

“Take your time,” Percival said.

I nodded and then continued after a breath. “I was originally going to meet with some mage. A high mage, I think.”

Percival nodded and rubbed his chin. “That certainly does seem like a good place to start. Now, as for the tablet, the important thing to note here is that you actually do have—”

A knock at the door interrupted him.

He stood from his chair and answered it, talking quietly to whoever was on the other side. After a brief exchange, he nodded and sent the person off, returning to the table but not his seat.

“Earlier I spoke of a plan. Would you be willing to aid me? I can only imagine the horror you’ve been through but it is imperative that we strike early and quickly.”

“Help you?”

“You’ll have to excuse my rather belligerent and forthright behavior. I am a man of action, primarily. Yes, I am requesting your assistance. With this plan we might be able to glean enough information to immediately convict Rauk Tobflin.”

“What would you need me to do?” I felt close enough to him that I was willing to help despite the circumstances.

“I need you to request that Tobflin speak truthfully and divulge the information he is keeping from us.”

I nodded. I could do that… Maybe.

“Perfect. I’ll take you to his holding cell. We have him currently in a solitary cell, removed from the presence of other prisoners and guards.”

With that, he swept up his notebook, and pen but didn’t take the tablet. Instead, he pushed it towards me. “A present. Keeping track of your skills and levels is one step to surviving in our world. Keep meticulous track.” I took the tablet into my own hands. It was small enough to fit in my pants pocket, like a large iPhone. Then he opened the door and I followed him out to the hallway, which was currently bustling with activity. Guards walked to and fro, some in small groups, others by themselves carrying papers or other important looking things.

Percival took the lead, guiding me through the sea of people. After a few turns, the masses started to thin out and eventually we were the only ones walking through the hallway. He hadn’t said a word and neither did I, instead opting to walk alone with our thoughts.

What would it be like talking to him? Would I actually be able to do it? I didn’t have any answers.

We took one more left turn and were greeted with a large metal door. Percival withdrew a key from his pocket and unlocked the door. He held it open for me and I stepped inside.

The man, Tobflin, was sitting behind bars, arms and legs in chains. Looking around, the room itself almost felt like it was a prison cell split in half. The walls were a dark cement brick and there was only a single light, on our side of the room. There was no furnishings on our side but Tobflin had a bed and sink.

Percival closed the door. I turned and looked at him. He gestured me forth, keeping cloaked in the shadows of the dimly lit room, face almost entirely obscured by the wreath of darkness around him. It made him look quite ominous. Perhaps that was the effect he was going for, to help intimidate Tobflin.

I walked to the bars, maybe five or six paces away.

Tobflin finally looked up at us, noticing me and making an indecipherable face.

“Wha-why are you here?” His voice quivered.

I was unsure of what to say. How did Percival want me to handle this? Did he just trust me to say whatever? I mentally chided myself for not having considered a plan.

“I wanted to talk. I think…” I stumbled around to find the right words. “I think it would be best if you told us everything you know.”

“I can’t.” His voice was hollow.

“Why not?”

I could feel the fear in his gaze.

“He’s going to kill me if I do.”

“But who?” I pressed up against the bars, adrenaline suddenly surging through me. “Who are you talking about?”

“He made me watch you. Told me…” Tobflin’s voice dropped off, body curling in as he did so.

“No wait, don’t stop!” I said urgently. “Tell him, tell Captain Percival what you’re telling me.”

He glanced past me, caught sight of Percival’s figure in the back but, judging by how much he squinted, he couldn’t see very clearly. Even then, he looked back to me and said, “I don’t know him.”

That caught me off guard.

“What do you mean you don’t know him? He interrogated you.”

His gaze was now on the floor. “I wasn’t interrogated by anyone.”

He never met him? What was he saying? The stories suddenly diverging like this? What was going on? If Tobflin didn’t know this man, then…

I spun around. “Wait, how did you know my name—”

A gunshot. The crack of the pistol sent Tobflin sprawling to the ground. Two more shots so fast I barely had time to move out of the way. I threw myself down to the ground, covering my head instinctively.

I didn’t look up, instead curling up into a ball, hoping, praying that I hadn’t been hit. I couldn’t tell, the blood pumping in my ears and the adrenaline reducing everything to a quiet din, including the feeling in my body.

Yet, somehow, Percival’s voice cut through it all. It had changed, an octave higher now, much more natural and oddly melodic.

“Just as I hoped. You’re a sharp thinker.”