After weeks of arduous travel across open plains, through rugged landscapes, and dense forests, the trio finally reached the last province before crossing the border of their contract. This province was under the control of the Von Houzen family. Endless fields stretched out before them, filled with grain. Dotted with scattered houses, farms, and guarded checkpoints, creating a landscape that felt both stifling and secure, as if it could be a place of oppression or safety, depending on one’s perspective. At least folk traveled around freely without worry of bandits.

  Halfway through its land, a group of guards emerged from one of the watchtowers. Their uniforms, embroidered with the emblem of a mansion with a windmill on each side, a symbol of Von Houzen agricultural might, blended seamlessly with the surrounding fields of yellow and green.

  ’Hold up there!’ one of the guards shouted, his voice echoing across the open expanse, cutting through the quiet hum of the day’s end.

  Albaras turned his horse to them. ’We have no time, good sir.’ Albaras replied with a chuckle. It sounded soft yet it felt heavy. ’We’re hired to hunt a beast in the next county, not waste our time in yours.’

  The guard became visible. He was a weathered veteran, no longer usable in the army. His eyes had seen countless years of watchful duty and skirmishes long forgotten. He studied us with a cautious curiosity before speaking. ’We’ve got some extra information you might want to hear. If you’ll follow us, we’ll explain.’

  Albaras exchanged a quick glance with Rederick, who had ridden a little bit further with Kian. His expression was heavy with the weariness of their weeks-long journey through unfamiliar lands. ’I just want to be done with this,’ Rederick said to Albaras. Turning to the guard, Albaras shrugged. ’Why not? The only thing we’ve been told is that we need to kill some kind of beast.’

  We quickly fell into a gallop behind the guards, who retrieved the horses from the watchtower and led them toward their destination.

  We traveled through the forest, the tree canopy above them gave way to glimpses of distant windmills rising into view. Such windmills should have been impossible. They were almost the size of a watchtower with their blades making them even longer as it turned. Slowly, the sprawling estate began to take shape on the horizon. In its center, a magnificent mansion stood, flanked on either side by the towering windmills. Fields stretched endlessly in every direction, teeming with crops, fruit, grain, vegetables, a clear testament to the estate’s wealth and productivity and surrounded by multiple walls. One wall encircled all the buildings, and a second, inner wall led to the mansion at the center. Along the outer wall, humble quarters housed the workers it was just as big as a village, their quiet presence underscoring the estate’s self-sufficiency.

  ’Well, this could be interesting,’ Albaras muttered, more to himself than anyone else. ’Let’s see what tales they want to tell.’

  As we approached, the guard led us through the first set of gates. We rode off toward the mansion gates. There, we paused, waiting for something to happen. Then, a burly man appeared by the gates, his powerful frame visible even from a distance. He effortlessly balanced a heavy load of firewood on one shoulder, an axe in his other hand. His expression was stoic, but there was a sense of quiet strength in the way he moved, focused on the wood balancing on his shoulder

  ’If it isn’t Gregory,’ Albaras remarked with a laugh, his tone laced with familiarity. The muscular man paused, his gaze sweeping over the trio with a lazy grin before tossing the heavy bundle of wood at a nearby guard, sending him stumbling. Gregory waved jovially as the guard regained his footing.

  ’Hello there, lads!’ he called, his voice rich with mirth. ’Let me change first.’ Without waiting for a reply, he disappeared into the depths of the mansion.

  Moments later, Gregory reappeared, now transformed. His previous work attire had been replaced by an extravagant king’s gown, its rich fabric sweeping around his portly frame. A crown adorned with different gems, its metal bent around like snakes. ’Gentlemen!’ he greeted them warmly, his voice dripping with theatricality. ’Welcome to the Von Houzen estate!’ He gestured grandly for them to follow him inside, his steps light with the joy of his impromptu performance.

  The mansion’s interior was a study in opulence and grandeur. Twin grand staircases spiraled upward in a sweeping half-circle, their polished wood gleaming beneath the plush red carpets, which seemed to absorb the light from the ornate chandeliers above. The faint scent of old wood and perfume lingered in the air, adding a richness to the already lavish surroundings. Paintings of women, each one poised and dignified, adorned the walls. Their gazes as commanding as the gilded gold trim that framed them. The air itself seemed heavy with the weight of history and wealth.

  The guards led them into a room dominated by an enormous table, its surface a work of art. Carved with meticulous precision, it depicted an intricate map of the Empirium, with the borders of Brotherwood creeping along the edges. The table’s raised edges framed the map, and deeper sections showcased the land’s topography in stunning detail. The cool, smooth wood beneath their fingertips suggested centuries of craftsmanship, while the faint scent of cedar lingered in the air, adding a sense of history to the room. As the trio approached, their gazes were drawn to the map, its complexity awe-inspiring.

  ’Please, gentlemen, take a seat. There is much to discuss,’ Gregory invited, his voice warm and gracious. Kian moved directly to a chair, his gaze locking onto the map spread across the table. As he settled in, tracing its contours, trying to recall the landmarks and their significance. Albaras followed calmly, approaching his chair with measured steps. He lowered himself into the seat with deliberate ease, his posture deceptively relaxed.

  Rederick lingered by the table, his fingers tracing the intricate carvings. He marveled at the craftsmanship, his gaze drawn to one spot in particular: the Cross. Depicted as a solitary tower nestled at the intersection of a mountain range forming an X, it marked a chokepoint where the borders of several territories converged. Once a bustling meeting place for diplomatic gatherings, the tower now stood abandoned, its crumbling foundations a stark reminder of forgotten alliances and shifting times. Yet here it stood built.

  Rederick frowned slightly, his thoughts drifting to his father’s stories of this very place. Though absent from most maps, his father had described it vividly, weaving tales of his travels in younger, more adventurous days. Now, standing before its etched depiction, Rederick couldn’t help but wonder how much of those stories were true and what secrets the tower still holds within.

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  Who would have thought that running away would make me more like you? The thought brought a faint grin to his face.Maybe one day, you’ll be proud of me once more.

  ’Why did you bring us here, Gregory?’ Albaras inquired, his tone carrying a mix of amusement, curiosity, and a hint of guardedness.

  ’Good question. But can I assume first that you’re hired by the Houses of the Cross?’ Gregory replied, his sharp gaze underscoring his shrewd yet welcoming demeanor.

  Albaras chuckled softly. ’Indeed, you’re correct with that.’

  Gregory nodded; his expression thoughtful. ’I have a problem with a beast as well. I believe it is the same one And that it passed through my territory to reach the Cross.’

  ’If that’s true, then why not send us further?’ Albaras got up to walk around the table, his voice tinged with quiet amusement.

  ’We’ve examined the corpses and concluded that a man might be involved alongside the beast. I want my territory safe from both man and beast. And with the information you probably had it will only be the beast. Consider this an update to your contract, no additional fee for the information.’ Gregory had a smile on his face, whether it was a sinister smile or one of genuine hospitality. His gaze stead steady and unflinching.

  Rederick shot a skeptical glance at Albaras. ’So, we kill another thing with no extra payment?’ Albaras said. He didn’t sound happy with him. Is he really ready to let innocents die if he didn’t get paid to help them. Yet, beneath it, a quiet chuckle escaped him, so subtle it could easily go unnoticed.

  ’We accept!’ Kian blurted out eagerly, his youthful enthusiasm cutting through the tension. Always ready to help others. Rederick turned around so no one could see his face and smiled a bit before turning again with a straight face.

  Gregory chuckled warmly and gave Kian a playful wink. ’Take down both and come back for a special reward. Consider it a bonus next to the contract itself.’

  Albaras opened his mouth to object, but Rederick stepped forward, his voice firm. ’What for information do you have, we do not have long for the longer we wait the more could die.’

  ’Very well, let’s seal this deal. Follow me,’ Gregory said, his tone confident as he led them outside to a nearby building.

  Above the wooden structure, fortified with stone, fluttered a flag bearing a heart emblem. Gregory paused, his demeanor shifting to one of solemnity. ’Here lie victims we had of the beast,’ he said gravely. ’Please, enter. The inspectors will guide you further.’

  Gregory placed a hand on Kian’s shoulder, his touch gentle but firm. ’Why don’t you stay outside and keep watch with me?’ His voice was calm, with an underlying note of authority.

  Inside, a few men in green aprons moved quietly among the workstations, their murmurs the only sound in the otherwise still room. The atmosphere was heavy, tinged with an unspoken tension. Then there was the smell of corrupted flesh. Dried blood. Albaras, his voice brimming with exaggerated enthusiasm, broke the silence. ’Quite the place you’ve got here.’ He scanned the room, his helmet swiveling as he moved his head from left to right. ’What’s the mystery?’

  ’Follow me,’ one of the inspectors instructed, leading them into a smaller, adjacent room. Bodies lay on tables, draped in blankets. Albaras gently pulled one blanket back without even warning the inspector, revealing the gruesome sight beneath. Rederick turned away, his stomach twisting as he tried to suppress his feelings. First the smell, now this sight. It... it was animalistic.

  ’Don’t worry, boy. I’ve seen worse,’ Albaras reassured Rederick or the instructor? It was unsure who he was talking to. He just kept looking at the body. With his usual light tone and chuckle between words. But there was something about his voice, something faintly unsteady, or maybe it was just the mood of the moment.

  Rederick couldn’t help but wonder. Did Albaras even feel anything or is he just hiding it? suppressing it like it is something to be ashamed of.

  The bodies bore signs of brutal mutilation, stomachs ravaged by acid, missing fingers, toes, eyes, ears, deep slashes on limbs and heads, legs pierced.

  ’This is the fourth victim like this,’ the inspector instructed, his tone heavy with sorrow. ’At least the four we have in our region.

  Albaras studied the bodies carefully, scanning the gruesome wounds.

  ’The pierced legs suggest the beast pinned them down.’ It was as if Albaras was talking to himself, his voice tinged with a mixture of deduction and curiosity. ’With them held in place, the creature could accurately loose its acid. Fascinating.’

  His voice sounded excited, as if he was eager to face this creature, beneath his otherwise analytical tone.

  He moved closer, examining the other wounds. ’These are clearly inflicted by a human, ’he continued, pondering the implications. ’If the beast kills with acid, why remove specific body parts? It could be that the beast eats them. Or someone removes them to feed the beast.’

  He paused, looking back at the bodies. The question remains: Did the beast and the man work together, a gruesome partnership? Or is the man a maniac, driven by a twisted need for mutilation. Taking care of the bodies after the beast is done with them?’

  His words hung in the air, marked by the gravity of the situation but buoyed by his evident enthusiasm for uncovering the truth. Despite the grim scene before them, Albaras fervor to solve the mystery remained undiminished.

  Albaras pulled the cover back up. ‘I’ve seen enough,’ he said with a chuckle, glancing at Rederick, who was doing his best not to look at the body.

  Outside, Gregory sat beside Kian on a bench near the building, both sharing stories and laughter. Albaras was the first to emerge and made his way toward them.

  ‘So, how did you fare with Gregory, my dear boy?’ Albaras asked, his tone light and of course his laughter at the end. But why did it also sound so curious.

  Kian’s face remained hidden beneath his cloak, but his smile was obvious. ‘Gregory gave me some pointers and a new longbow to replace my old short one,’ he replied, pride in his voice.

  Rederick joined them a moment later, having just finished speaking with the inspector about the body Albaras had examined. ‘I asked about the acid and whether any remains were found,’ he said, his tone sharp, directed specifically at Albaras. They haven’t found any of the cut-off body parts only the body.

  Gregory stood up with a cough to bring the attention towards him. ‘Your kid’s a keeper,’ he said approvingly. ‘I’ve made sure he’s got better tools to hone his skills.’

  ‘Did you learn anything?’ Gregory asked Albaras ignoring Rederick, his tone shifting to something more serious.

  ’I found everything I needed,’ Albaras replied cryptically, his voice carrying a faint, otherworldly hum that seemed to vibrate from within his armor, giving him an almost enigmatic presence.

  Gregory nodded; his expression thoughtful. ’That’s how it is then. Good luck hunting,’ he said solemnly, his words carrying both respect and understanding, as if he knew what Albaras is going to do.

  The guards led them back to the outer wall, where they bid their farewell. ’Good luck on your travels,’ one guard said warmly, while the other handed Kian a basket filled with provisions: apples, bread, and juice.

  Rederick let out a sigh. ’So, are we going after the beast first, or hunting down the human?’ he asked, shifting in his saddle as if uneasy.

  ’We’ll hunt the beast first. The man will likely be nearby,’ Albaras replied. He sounded so certain that you automatically agreed with him. ’But first, we need to make our way to the Cross.’

  Kian nodded enthusiastically, eager for the journey ahead, while Rederick simply stared ahead, his expression weary but determined.

  They moved towards the end of the Von Houzen territory, escorted by a few household guards on horseback. ’This is as far as we go,’ one of the guards said. ’We can’t pass beyond this point due to our contract not to enter the Dukedom unless emergencies.’

  In the distance, they could see the summit of Cross Mountain, its peaks stretching in four directions, one of which extended into Cortius. Kian waved goodbye to the guards as the trio crossed over the border.