"Do you perhaps know any iron worker around?"
"No I don't"
Kael navigated the winding alleys, his eyes scanning the crowded market stalls. He had to find the iron worker's shop without drawing attention. He figured that alley wouldn't be too far from his previous sewer and only now needed to find the iron worker's shop. His worn cloak and tattered clothes helped him blend in with the poorer districts, but he knew his striking features and piercing green eyes made him memorable.
As he turned a corner, the clang of hammering metal and the acrid smell of hot iron led him to the shop. The sign above the entrance read "Thorne's Fine Ironwork." Kael's heart quickened; this was it.
Inside, the shop was dimly lit, with only a few candles illuminating the workspace. A burly man, his face smeared with soot, hammered away at a glowing piece of metal. A girl, around Kael's age, with curly brown hair and bright hazel eyes, watched him from the corner, her hands busy with a small, intricate metal figurine.
Kael's gaze met hers, and she smiled, her eyes sparkling. He felt a flutter in his chest.
"Welcome to Thorne's!" she said, setting aside her work. "Can I help you?"
"Hi," Kael replied, attempting a casual tone. "Just browsing. Your father's work is impressive."
The girl chuckled. "Thanks! Dad's always lost in his craft. I'm Elara, by the way."
"I'm...Kael," he replied, hesitant to share his real name.
Elara's eyes sparkled. "Nice to meet you, Kael. What brings you to our humble shop?"
As they chatted, Kael learned that Elara was an apprentice, learning the trade from her father. She showed him various pieces, explaining the craftsmanship and techniques. Kael found himself captivated by her passion and expertise.
Just as their conversation was flowing, the sound of approaching boots echoed outside. Elara's expression turned serious.
"Quick, hide!" she whispered, grabbing Kael's arm and pulling him behind a stack of crates.
Through the gaps, Kael watched as two City Watchmen, clad in dark leather armor, entered the shop.
"...looking for a boy, about his age," one of them said, holding up a rough sketch. "Green eyes, dark hair. Have you seen him?"
Thorne, Elara's father, barely looked up from his work. "Nah, haven't seen anyone like that."
The Watchmen nodded and left, but Elara waited until they disappeared into the crowd.
"Sorry about that," she said, releasing Kael from his hiding spot. "You're the one they're looking for, aren't you?"
Kael nodded, impressed by her perceptiveness.
"Why would you be wanted by the watchmen anyway?" She asked curiously.
"Might have gotten my hands in a little too much dirt"
Elara giggled.
"I need to find a passageway...any passageway" he said, urgency creeping into his voice.
"There is...but you're not gonna like it" She replied, with a tinge of disgust.
Elara's gaze flicked toward her father, ensuring he wasn't listening.
"Follow the sewage tunnels beneath the city," she whispered. "There's an entrance near the old red house just some paces away. Be careful; the tunnels are treacherous."
Kael's eyes locked onto hers, giving her the most grateful gaze he had ever given anyone.
The sewer dirty? Didn't bother him.
"Thank you, Elara," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Elara smiled, her cheeks flushing. "Be safe, Kael."
With a nod, Kael slipped out of the shop, disappearing into the crowded market. As he vanished into the throng, Elara watched him go, her heart beating faster than she cared to admit.
Immediately Kael saw the red house up ahead, he looked around for any manhole till he found one covered in the shadow of an old house. He looked look left and right, slipping into the hole and closing the lid.
......................
Dean sat by his office window, thinking. He and Mark had shortly returned in the evening after scouring the place looking for their suspect. He had his face buried in his right palm. Tobii just sat there looking at him, unable to contribute anything. Mark wasn't in his office since he went to speak with the children.
Soon enough it was nightfall and there was no news whatsoever about Kael's whereabouts.
After Fynn told his friends about Kael's gift, Vyny's face hadn't been lit like it used to. She didn't quite feel comfortable about continuing Kael's topic and the thought that Kael could creep into a person's mind made her stomach churn.
She was the first of her friends to wake up the next day. They had been given a large room which had about four beds, so each person resigned themselves to whatever bed they chose.
She got up from her bed silently and left to wash her face, leaving her friends still asleep.
"This is probably going going to be a difficult task...." Dean started after they had finished breakfast at the table. "We'll need every aid we can get" He said pointing to Vynella and her friends.
"Since he was your friend, you'll know how his mind works better than me and my men...would you like to help us?" He asked smiling.
Fynn felt comfortable with him, unlike a certain grumpy man he knew.
"But why are we looking for Kael anyways?" Lysera chipped in. "The murder coulda been anyone"
"Yes..." Said Dean "you have a point but, poison isn't something that needs too much work to be administered. And besides, our witnesses say they saw the victims last with a boy of his description"
"I doubt Kael would have done this..." Fynn replied, his face down at the table.
"Murderous tendencies aren't written on a person's face, is it now?"
Dean slowly got up from his chair.
"I'll give you a few minutes to grab what you need" He said, smiling.
As he stood up to leave, Mark stood up as well and joined him. He hadn't said a word all morning.
"And please. Be careful" He said before beckoning on Tobii from the far end of the room.
"He seems like a gentleman" Lysera pointed out as she stared at Dean, watching him as he left with Tobii and Mark.
"Why's he at the head of all these investigations?" Vynella asked, looking at Lerrin for an answer.
"Since you're new here..." Lerrin continued "You wouldn't know his role as city's patriarch. He's the son of Lord Giles the second..."
"Son?"
"Adoptive. Lord Giles is no longer in active service" Lerrin completed as she was stacking the used plates on her left hand. It wasn't too strange that orphanage children would have no food leftovers.
"Do we split up then?" Vyny suggested as they walked into the open market.
"The fact that he's missing makes him all the more suspicious"
"I genuinely think this is a waste of time..." Said Fynn.
"We might not be able to find him if he doesn't want to be found"
"You might be right, our leads are cold. The only thing we know is that he was at some bar" replied Lysera.
"According to you..." Started Vynella " He's been running around, like his whole life, right?"
"Right"
"And with the way the watchmen have been patroling the entire place, he'd pretty much be unable to move around"
"Someone whose a suspect wouldn't have the luxury of just sitting around" Added Lysera.
"He must already know people are on the lookout for him. He couldn't have just gone underground..."
"Or could he? I heard almost the entire Capital has these... underground gutters...more than big enough for a human" Fynn quickly chipped in.
"But that's for...y'know, sewage" Vynella replied with a contorted face.
"And you think someone with a bounty on his head would actually care" said Lysera.
"I mean...it's worth a try, since he probably hasn't eaten for about two days" Fynn said, a little concerned.
......................
Dean was signing a number of sheets at the watchmen's station. He had refrained from telling the watchmen about Kael's connection with Mark as it may implicate him. Mark stood at a corner, outside the door of the office with his arms folded while he patiently waited for Dean to finish.
One of the watchmen came and presented Dean with a small parcel which seemed to contain something heavy.
"You've outdone yourself chief, didn't think you'd actually succeed in making it" Said Dean as he received the parcel being given to him.
"I mean....it was all thanks to your designs..." The officer humbly pointed out.
"This weapon will give us an edge in any upcoming wars....it basically makes swords useless..."
"Yes..." Dean replied matter-of-factly "yes it does"
"But sir...what gave the idea to make this?". The officer asked curiously.
"Imagine being able to wield the power of a canon in your hands....that my friend is power" Dean replied as he was opening the parcel. He gently took out the metallic weapon and held it in his hand with a proud face.
"This is the first of its kind throughout the Empyreal Continent"
"Not that anyone hasn't made anything like it before..." Dean continued "It's just a miniature rifle.
"What would you call this?" The officer asked.
"You guys brought my designs to life...I think you should have the honour of naming it"
"But sir....they were your designs. It wouldn't exist without you"
"Fine..." Dean smiled ".....let's call it....a gun"
"Sounds aesthetic" The officer agreed.
Just then, a plump man well over his fifties walked into the office with what seemed like a body guard. He had a black moustache, with a coat hanging over his shoulders, with a pipe in his mouth.
"Rusty Boy Colter has done it again" He said with contempt.
"You know you're not allowed to smoke in here" Dean said, uncomfortably smiling.
"Alvero does what Alvero wants...." He said handing his mouth pipe to his bodyguard.
"What other gizmo has the Prince of Tinker's Island created?" Alvero demanded, with a snark expression.
"It's not what I'd call a gizmo..." Dean replied still smiling. "Just something that would allow me to take out my enemy without even laying a finger on them" Said Dean, slowly pointing the gun at Alvero's forehead where he stood.
The officer in the room was now unable to speak due to the tension of being in the presence of the most powerful men in the entire city.
"Put that thing down" He demanded. "I heard Xirius was taken out...no less by a boy"
"Allegedly" Dean's tone became serious.
"Wouldn't want to draw Vancourd's attention"
Alvero said with a slight change of tone.
"Do you have any information on this...brat"
"Unfortunately no....I'm still investigating"
"You're not even a watchman so stop doing their job" Alvero said trying to annoy him.
Dean stared at him kubrickly.
"Dean Colter does what Dean Colter wants"
Alvero stared at him for a little while and then left, mumbling under his breath.
"I'm sorry if this little chat made you uncomfortable" Dean said turning to the officer, having noticed the beads of sweat on his forehead.
"No sir..." He replied, smiling uncomfortably.
"Please, remember to remind the general to commission these..." Said as he tucked in the gun into his trousers.
"It's for the safety of our homes"
Dean then took Mark and left the station.
"Who was that?" Mark asked.
"Just....a convenient enemy"