Guilt, shame, in the pouring rain

[Anonymous]

Josiah didn't drink alcohol.

He never liked the taste – never liked the smell. His pa used to drink it sometimes – after a hard day's work on the fields, he had always figured that he deserved it – but he'd get rowdy after, and wild, and he wouldn't act like himself. The thought of not being able to control yourself, of having something, anything, interfere with his train of thought, was enough to make Jo stay away from the stuff.

But that didn't mean he couldn't benefit from people who did indulge. Loose lips sank ships, didn't they – or at least, liquored up mercs in taverns spoke more freely than the sober, stiff ones. Jo nursed a mug of beer himself – not to drink, obviously, but to fit in, even though he obviously did not belong her. He was a dainty thing, despite his hardened personality – his slender frame, dough colored skin, strawberry blonde hair, and honey brown eyes stood out in a sea of darker skinned Adelans, who happened to be the main customers in this tavern, out on the fringes of the Thunderblacks.

He listened to them gossip and whisper, keeping his head down, making eye contact with no one, not even the barkeep. He had traversed all the way to these mountains on nothing but a hope, prayer, and the hint of a rumor, that there had been a mysterious event that had occurred in this area, one where a whole caravan of mages had gone missing. Jo had to find out if there was any truth at all behind these whispered words – if so, the event was worth investigating. It was, quite possibly, the best lead he had stumbled across in a while, and it would be a lie to say that he wasn't a little nervous, at being in such a strange environment, with so much on the line.

Jo's hands shook a little as he tightened his hands around the mug of alcohol, feeling a tad nauseated by the smell. The laughs and bold statements mentioned nothing of the event, however, and Jo, who had been sitting here for a while, sighed, shaking his head. He looked up at the barkeep, who had been watching him out of the corner of his eye, and leaned closer, deciding it would be best to ask, instead of hoping the information would come to him.

"Barkeep," Jo muttered, his voice a dull whisper. "You hear anything about that event that happened, down in the mountains? About the caravan of mages that went missing?"

The bartender shrugged his broad shoulders, shaking his head. "You're not the only person to ask about that tonight. A gentleman down yonder asked about it as well," Here, the barkeep stopped, pointing out a man who sat in the corner of the bar, who did not seem to belong here either, just like Jo. "But to be honest, hell if I know anything about it. No one wants to head down in the mountains after hearing those damned rumors. They found be faker than fairy tales, but no one will ever know the truth."

Thanking the man for his time, Jo flipped the barkeep a copper coin, and got up from the bar, leaving his mug behind. He could see the man the barkeep had pointed out, the man who apparently was searching for the truth behind the missing caravan as well. Jo, summoning up all his courage, took a seat next to the strange man – it was obvious that he was not from Adela, just like Jo, and even though the sleuther knew nothing else about him, the fact that they were bother strangers in this odd place made Jo feel a little more relieved.

"Pardon me, sir," Jo interrupted, looking up at the man while clasping his hands on the table. "It seems to me like you're not from around these parts." His tone was very neutral – he was merely fishing, to see what kind of man this stranger was. Friend, or foe? Only time could tell. But if they wanted to know about the same event, maybe they could find some common ground.

[Thief]

Jack walked into this tavern in the hopes of finding out what happened in the Thunderblacks. This was the second day he had come in and sat here, but no one had brought up anything of importance. Nothing but gossip, which proved less than helpful. Today, he decided to ask the barkeep, but he was even more than less than helpful. The only thing he could deduce was that the people were scared to talk about it, or that the parties responsible had done very well in keeping their secrets hidden.

He decided that today would be the last day he sat here. The longer he waited, the harder it would be to catch up to her once he found out what happened. Scarlet was part of that caravan, and he was sure she would have put up a fight. She would have left a clue somewhere, all he had to do was find it. Jack decided he was going to find the site of the disappearance by tonight. In fact, he was leaving as soon as he finished his cup of tea.

Before he could get a grip on his cup, a young man had sat at his table. Jack was too lost in thought to notice him earlier, and would normally just ignore him, but the man had sat to his right, trapping him in the corner. It may not have been intentional, but it was a thief's nature to be paranoid.

The young man seemed interested in a conversation, asking about where he was from. He himself did not look to be from Adela. He was short, but had a fair amount of muscle to him. If it were not for his attire, Jack might have thought he was a mercenary. It would be far too convenient if one of the men he was looking for just walked up to him and started asking questions. However, he was far too polite for that.

Jack decided to answer his question. There was no sense in being rude, seeing as how he was trying to be polite. Without taking his eyes off the guy, Jack replied, "No, I'm not. I just happen to be passing through. Is there something I can help you with?"

[Anonymous]

It was a strange world out here – one filled with the taint of magic, one so different and unfamiliar to his rural Connlaothian town. He still didn't know how to completely let his guard down, to appear completely safe and at ease, although he could put on a good show, if he had to. At the moment, he was focusing on making sure his shoulders weren't tense, that he didn't clasp his hands together like he normally did – giving off the appearance that he was calm, and cool. If Josiah was anything, he was analytical and observant – body language spoke wonders, he knew, and in many ways, a person's actions spoke louder than their words.

He had expected this man to be gruff, hardy, or maybe even a little snide, as most of the mercs around these parts had been. However, instead, he seemed just as cautious, but just as polite – his reaction was nothing but the basics. At least he hadn't tried to brush him away – and even if he had, Josiah would've pressed on, anyway. This single man was perhaps the only lead Josiah had managed to dig up in quite some time, and even then, he didn't look like the type who would care about the caravan. But, looks could be deceiving, he knew. His own slightly muscular farm, built from working his whole life on a farm, might intimidate others, but really, Josiah had a gentle, and normally passive nature. He couldn't just judge this man by his looks alone.

"There is one thing," Josiah responded, his voice low, not wanting to attract any attention. He bit his lip, and nodded over to the barkeep – it was a subtler gesture than just pointing in the bartender's direction, anyway. "He told me you've been askin' 'bout the caravan. The one carryin' all those mages 'cross the Thunderblacks." His voice had a tinge of that country accent – it wasn't anything he could help, but it was just another clue, another marker, that Josiah didn't belong here either. He paused for a minute, and ended up clasping his hands together anyway, folding them on the table, while looking across the table, at the stranger. "Did you... end up findin' anything 'bout it?" Josiah's were the only window to his true emotions that he couldn't control – one could see a hint of worry in them, if one looked hard enough.

[Thief]

Of course he needed something, everyone did. However, when Jack heard the question, he turned to face the young man, no longer looking at him out of the corner of his eye. A quick glance showed he looked calm, but shifted his weight onto the table. He was putting up a facade. Jack glanced at his eyes.

That's when he saw it, a look he was not expecting. There was a worry there, like he was deeply concerned about something. His eyes were like an open window, and Jack could clearly see through them. Jack saw the same worry in his eyes that he felt over Scarlet, though, Jack managed to hide it better. His blank stare never faltered, a face long disciplined to show nothing it was not supposed to show.

No sense trying to hide any information from him. He was obviously determined to find out what happened. "The caravan was ambushed near a pass in the lower hills of the mountains. Whoever was responsible was very careful not to let the details become public. There is not a single person willing to talk about what happened." Jack was not sure if anyone even knew anything, but, if they did, they were not talking about it. "I don't know exactly where the ambush happened, but I plan to find out tonight."

"Now, if I may ask you a question?" Jack was not sure how to phrase this, but, seeing as how this guy managed to keep his emotions in check, he should be able to handle it if Jack was direct. "Why is it that a boy like you is interested in the disappearance of mages? Perhaps you knew someone in that caravan?"

[Anonymous]

If life had taught Josiah anything, it was that he should never get his hopes up, even about the smallest of things. Murphy's Law – if anything bad can happen, it will – was the country boy's philosophy, and so far, it had worked, to a point. Some might have seen it as a pessimistic view towards life, but really, his stringent way of thinking only made him more surprised than most normal folk would be at the smallest of things.

To be blunt, Josiah had not expected the man to be open with his information, even if what he knew was not much. Granted, the sleuth hadn't learned anything about the event, except for what wild rumors had told him, so the information he had been better than nothing.

So, the caravan had been ambushed – but by who, and why? He bit his lip – he had already formed his own opinion about who had done this and why... that was why he had come here in the first place, after all. At this point, his search had been demoted to chasing rumors that had even the slightest chance of being true... What had become of Josiah Clerval?

At the man's question, he lowered his eyes, and bit his lip again. If the man was also looking for the truth behind what had happened to the caravan, then Josiah couldn't find any reason to lie to him. "My sister was taken by mage hunters," Josiah started, his voice growing soft. "I've been trying to find a lead on the mage hunters ever since, but so far, my leads have turned up dry." He looked up at Jack – determination beamed in his honey brown eyes. "But I have a feeling, that maybe, mages were on that caravan... If mage hunters were behind the hijacking, then maybe I'd get a lead on 'em." He paused, pensive. "Maybe I'd finally be able to find 'em."

He looked up at the man, suddenly energetic, remembering that the stranger's plans to investigate the occurrence. He brought his hands down on the counter, leaning forward, eager. "You're goin' out there, aren't ya? To the Thunderblacks?" Josiah didn't wait for an answer. "Take me with you." It was not a question. "Two heads are better than one, right?"

[Thief]

The kid listened intently as Jack told him what little he had found out here in town. The information was overheard by two men who were only around for a few hours, so there was no way of verifying if it was reliable or not. It was the only thing he had to go on, and he believed it to be true.

The kid paused at his question, making Jack wonder if being so blunt with him was the right choice. He did not seem to be getting upset, but he might be hiding it. When he answered, his voice was hesitant, but Jack felt he was sincere. Jack saw no reason to question it, as it sounded more like a sore subject for him than it sounded like a lie.

When the kid said he was going with him, Jack was surprised. Not by the statement, but by how eager he looked to start searching. The last thing Jack needed was some kid tagging along, but he seemed competent enough that he might not get in the way of the investigation. His only real concern was the kid's safety. If they found the people responsible for the ambush, and they did turn out to be mage hunters, then they would not be too eager to part with their captives.

"I don't see why not," Jack said in answer to his statement. "However, I just want to be clear that, if we do find out anything, there will be those who will try to stop us. I need to know that you are willing to risk your safety. If not, then I'm afraid I'll have to leave you here."

[Anonymous]

Josiah's eyes lit up slightly, at Jack's promise – that he could come along during the investigation. The smallest of smiles lit up his face, and his body relaxed, no longer as tense as he had been before. Somehow, he had managed to find someone who was also willing to go out there and investigate – at least Josiah wouldn't have to go out there alone.

Granted, he had travelled by himself in many stranger worlds and cities, but the Thunderblacks... well, that was an entirely different story. These mountains had been carrying a whole caravan of mages after all – and Josiah, despite his search to find the mage hunters, was wary around mages and all who used magic. If there was someone else who was willing to go with him, to this abandoned site where the caravan had been hijacked, then he would definitely jump at the opportunity.

But, he was warning him about danger? Josiah laughed a little – man, if only someone had warned him about the dangers of the outside world months ago, when he had been a fish out of water, just trying to fit in, in a world where everyone was tainted with magic – even his own sister, that he needed to save, no matter what. "Sir," Josiah began, shaking his head. "I've been riskin' my safety ever since I left home. You don't need to worry 'bout me." He placed a hand on the flintlock pistol he had strapped at his side as he said it, Oathshot. He had never pulled its trigger before, but if he had to... He would have to use it, if it meant preserving his life.

The sleuth stood up, tipping his hat to adjust it on his head, looking over at the mysterious man. He extended a hand out to him, all country manners and politeness. "Name's Josiah Clerval, sir," he introduced, and if the man excepted his hand, Josiah's grip in the handshake would be tough, firm – the symbol of a hardened man. "We should get movin'. We're wastin' what's left of the daylight, sittin' 'round here..."

[Thief]

There was a definite change in his mood when Jack agreed to take him on the investigation. Once again, he noticed that the kid was holding back on his emotions quite a bit. Was the thought of danger getting to him? If so, Jack needed to know how he would handle it. Much to his surprise, the young man did not seemed concerned. An even greater surprise was the discovery that he was armed, a pistol close at his side.

The young man stood up and introduced himself as Josiah Clerval. He was trying a little hard to be polite, which made Jack think he had given the wrong impression of himself. He was supposed to be a mercenary after all. Jack reached up to grip his hand. "Nice to meet you Josiah. My name's Jack."

Jack stood up, ready to leave for the Thunderblacks. It was pointless to waste any more time, else they would be stumbling around in the dark. A needle in a haystack this may be, but a needle reflects gleams of light, making it much easier to find during the day than at night. "You're right, no sense sitting here. We only have a few hours before nightfall. We should get going."

[Anonymous]

Jack – so that was his name, huh? For some reason, hearing the stranger's name made him relax a little more. He had met way too many stranger people in these lands, a lot of them with impractical names – and the more impractical they were, the more likely it was that they were mages, or magic-users. He still had to shake his head a little at himself – to think, that he had managed to be so far away from home, looking to track down the people who were swiping mages, all for the sake of his sister, who happened to be a mage all this time... But, Jack's company would probably prove useful here – he seemed like someone who could take care of a threat, and having another set of eyes and ears on this investigation would prove to be useful, after all.

Josiah nodded – Jack was right, they really didn't have much daylight left. "Let's get movin' then," Josiah urged, leading them out of the tavern. He was glad to be out of there – away from the tight-lipped strangers and unhelpful barkeep – hell, if he could find a lead at the crash site, then maybe he'd be able to get out of Adela, for once. As soon as he stepped out of the tavern though, the sky, which had been gloomy to begin with, began to rattle and crack. Thunder boomed across the canvas, and lightning streaked itself across the sky – a yellow streak of raw power that made Josiah clench his teeth in annoyance.

"It's gonna pour any minute now... But you're not gonna chicken out on me, are ya?" the boy asked, a good-natured jest. He placed one hand on his fedora, so any oncoming bout of gust wouldn't blow it off his head. "Do you know where the pass is – where it was taken out? It looks like the lower hills would be that way –" here Josiah pointed downhill, where the mountains began to thin out. "But I can't say for sure."

[Thief]

Josiah led the way towards the door. Outside, they were greeted by the sounds of thunder rumbling in the distance. Jack pulled his hood over his head just as a single streak of lightning jumped across the sky, followed by yet another rumble of thunder. "This little storm won't deter me," he reassured his new companion.

Looking to where Josiah was pointing, Jack could see where the terrain was less mountainous. "I can't see a reason why we shouldn't check it out. There has to be a road or something that passes through there. It's safe to say that the caravan would have stuck to the roads." Jack immediately began walking. "We should hurry. Once the rain starts, any clues we could find might be washed downhill."

After a bit of walking, the two of them found a road that seemed to go on for the length of the mountain pass. The storm was still holding back, but every second could bring on a torrent of rain. Jack hoped that it would hold until they searched the site, or ,at the very least, that it would hold until they could find it. "I say we follow this road. I haven't  heard anything about it in town, so it must not be very well traveled. If they were ambushed on a road, this would be the one." Another clap of thunder reminded them of the urgency. "I'd also like to find the site before this storm begins."

[Anonymous]

Stick to the roads – that was a damn good idea if Josiah had ever heard one. He had almost forgotten – of course, a caravan wouldn't go traversing through the thick, unpopulated underbrush. Josiah nodded, deciding that Jack's plan was for the best. "You're right," he agreed, nodding. "If we can find some sort of road, even if it's a road that hasn't been travelled on very often, then we'll be on the right track."

It didn't take long for them to come across a road, which Jack suggested they should go down. Jack nodded, keeping his hand on his fedora, not wanting it to blow away. If the caravan was going to go down any road, it would be this one. After all, since the townspeople hadn't heard of it, or if they hadn't even seen the caravan, then that meant it had been ambushed in a place that wasn't well travelled by the public. "Sounds like a good idea as ever," Josiah replied, yelling over another clap of thunder that threatened to drown out his voice. "The quicker we are about this, the better – c'mon!"

He started down the road, taking note of his surroundings – it was so barren here, as if nothing ever travelled down here at all. It must've been a shortcut to another road that was travelled more often – that was the only excuse Josiah could make for why the caravan had come down here. "This place is empty as all hell..." Josiah muttered, looking around with honey brown eyes. "There must be something if we keep walking, though," he said soon after, wanting to keep optimistic. Thunder clapped again, and off in the distance he could hear wolves, or coyotes howling. He grit his teeth, placing his hand on Oathshot. "...I just hope that 'something' isn't any wild varmints, though..."

[Thief]

This wind was getting intense. It was like nature itself was trying to force them to turn back. Every passing second threatened to bring with it a torrent of rain. It was extremely fortunate that the weather continued to hold out. The road was barren, leaving no place to take shelter should the rain start to fall. To add to the tension, Josiah had brought to his attention the wildlife. While not as bothersome as the rain, Jack did not want to contend with both.

"We should speed up," he said, "If we are going to run into anything wild, I'd rather it be sooner than later." His pace doubled to a slow jog, while he continued to scan the sides of the road. Nothing but barren road with the occasional tree or rock decorating its edges. There was nothing around that would even pass as a suitable ambush spot. There was no where to hide, no cover to use, no one could pull off an ambush on this road.

Up ahead, he could see a large collection of rocks just as the path reached the opening of the mountain pass. It would have served as a much better ambush spot. The sun was threatening to leave them in the dark, and the shadows covered most of the road ahead. A flash of lightning went overhead, lighting the world for an instant. During that brief instant, Jack saw something ahead. The light was too brief to make out what it was, but there was something in the road. "Come on," he shouted to Josiah over the thunder that followed, "There's something ahead."

[Anonymous]

Josiah trailed behind Jack loyally, jogging steadily behind the older man. He was right, they had to hurry – if lightening started going off in an open field like this, well, he didn't want to be in it when it happened... Good thing he wasn't particularly tall – he would hate to be as tall as the Adelans he had seen around here, and get caught in a thunderstorm like this. He still kept his hand clamped over that fedora, as if he was clinging onto a part of his soul. His hat was one of Josiah's few material possessions that actually meant something, and he'd be damned to lose it in this storm.

In an instant, a flash of lightening brought radiance to their world, and it lit up the field ahead of them. There was something up ahead, according to Jack, which made Josiah sigh in relief. "You think it's the caravan?" Josiah asked hopefully, wanting more than anything to find the thing and be done with it. Secretly, he hoped that the caravan would be in a semi-good condition, and that the mage hunters hadn't thought to demolish it or anything – perhaps they could use it as a shelter in this pouring rain. He grit his teeth, jogging forward, praying to Ansgar for a miracle.

Once again, lightning flashed as they neared the strange formation up ahead. Josiah's eyes widened and his jog came to a slow crawl as they neared it, his hand on Oathshot once more. "I think... I think we've found it." He muttered. In front of them lay the ruins – of the broken down caravan. A stream of over a dozen caravan cars lay either on their side or, if lucky, right side up. The corpse of a horse could be found on the immediate scene, along with obvious signs of a struggle. The caravan was in altogether bad condition, but at least they had finally found it.

[Thief]

The caravan was in the center of the pass. The caravan cars were mostly intact, although only a few remained upright. Many were thrown on their side, probably to be used as cover. The arrows lodged in the underside of one of the wagons only served to reinforce that theory. Jack did not want to waste any time. He turned to Josiah and said, "Split up and search the area. Leave no stone unturned."

He quickly set about examining the most obvious clue, the corpse of the horse at the center of the scene. The beast was still in its harnesses, probably hitched into the center of the caravan to keep the wagons linked together. An arrow was lodged in its eye, and most likely punctured its brain. Whoever aimed that shot was skilled, and most likely used this kill to start the attack, as all the wagons would be forced to stop and detach from the dead animal.

Another arrow was jutting up from the ground a few feet away. Examining it closer, Jack noticed part of the shaft had broken away. It was not actually broken, but looked as if it was supposed to open. He pulled the arrow from the ground, it was hollowed out part of the way through. Inside, was a kind of powder. Not knowing if it was some kind of poison, Jack rubbed some between his thumb and index finger. If a rash developed, it would most likely be poison. However, he noticed that, instead of a rash, his fingers were beginning to feel numb. Jack turned to Josiah, who was examining one of the wagons. "Hey! I've found something interesting, but I'm not sure what to make of it. Come take a look."

[Anonymous]

Split up and search the area, Jack had told him. Leave no stone unturned.

Those were orders that Josiah would gladly follow. With one hand on Oathshot – just in case – Josiah made his way over to the broken down caravan, deciding to start with the carts. He combed through the wreckage carefully, not wanting to disturb any evidence. After all – this had been the only lead he had on Jessie's disappearance since he had left home. This caravan and its broken disaster – it was, oddly enough, a beacon of hope to the young Connlaothian. The fact that this caravan existed in itself was a miracle – it meant that the mage hunters were real, and that Jessie was definitely with them... But was she alive, or... No, he wasn't going to think about that now.

As he assessed the wreckage, he noticed one thing – everyone's possessions were still in the caravan. There were bags of clothes and everyday items scattered throughout the cars, as well as the occasional valuable item – a golden pendant, a silver earring... The mage hunters probably had no use for these things – which probably meant... maybe they were getting paid for their work? It was the only explanation he could give for it – why stop a caravan in its tracks if you weren't going to also rob the citizens on it? It would've just slowed them down, he figured. Plus, the mages would probably give them enough money as it was...

Josiah pulled his head out of his thoughts as Jack called him over. He made his way to his side, taking note of the arrow he held between his fingers, noting the fine powder on his hands. "Careful!" Josiah started. "It might be poisonous, or somethin'." But Jack seemed to be fine, and he was sure the older man wouldn't willingly let his fingers touch something that could be poisonous.

Tentatively, Josiah slid his fingers across the arrow, frowning a little. The tips of his fingers felt strangely... numb. "This stuff... maybe the hunters used it to tranquilize the mages?" Josiah offered up, biting his lip. "My pa used to use this same kind of stuff on our cows, to make it easier for 'em, when it was time to send 'em to slaughter." The sort of analogy only made Josiah feel worse – the hunters, they had treated the mages like livestock...

[Thief]

Josiah came over and examined the arrow, taking a special interest in the powder. Jack examined his face, a look a realization came over him. "You know what that stuff is?" he asked. Josiah told him it was used as a tranquilizer. That would explain why the scene looked more like a surrender than a battle. The mages would have had no way to fight back.

Several things were going through his mind, leaving him lost in thought for a moment. Then, his mind was calm. He turned to his companion, and asked him a question. "Josiah, where around here could someone get something like this? I doubt they would have carried this kind of powder around, so they must have gotten it just for this job."

At that moment, Jack's luck finally reached it's limit for the day. The sky opened up, and unleashed a slowly building torrent of rain. He turned to Josiah, yelling over the building storm. "We've got to get out of this! Hold onto that arrow! We need to find a cave or something for shelter!" He turned and began running back down the road, scanning the sides for any clues of a cave entrance. Something caught his eye. With nowhere else to go, he called for Josiah to follow as he charged towards the opening. "This way!"

It wasn't a cave, but a small outcropping, like a dent in the side of the hill. It may not be deep enough to keep them completely dry, but it would keep them out of the open if lightning struck. Jack quickly sat against the back wall, panting heavily, as he waited for Josiah to appear from behind the curtain of rain a few feet away from him. They needed to finish the discussion that nature so rudely interrupted.

[Anonymous]

Where would someone get tranquilizer power? Josiah bit his lip in thought – it had been a while since he had last been in Connlaoth, so he was a bit rusty when it came to things like this. He hadn't seen tranquilizer powder in years – after all, what business would he have with it now that he was sleuthing around for the mage hunters? He knew the answer to this, though, it was on the tip of his tongue – but alas, the answer to Jack's question would have to wait.

The sky opened up, and rain began to fall down on them relentless, making cringe, clutching onto the arrow and sticking it within the confines of his jacket. The last thing they'd need was for the arrow to become damaged by the rain or wind in any way – after all, it might just be their only clue. At Jack's word, Josiah nodded, clutching onto his fedora hat, calling out, "You lead the way!"

With swift steps, Josiah followed Jack near the small outcropping he had found, jogging in carefully. He sat on the opposite side of the wall, his chest rising and falling gently, not as winded as one should be after such a quick sprint. Living on the farm for so long in his life made him used to this sort of thing. Josiah adjusted his fedora with a quick swish of his wrist. "Damn rain... you don't see much of this back where I'm from," he grumbled, before pulling out the arrow out of his jacket, examining it again.

"This sort of tranquilizer powder is only found in Connlaoth," he remembered, holding the arrow out in front of him. "It's a special brand that mainly farmhands use, which I don't think is a coincidence... I think whoever bought the powder must've had Connlaothian roots, and knew where to get stuff for cheap that would work on humans." He bit his lip. "I don't know if that speaks for all the mage hunters, but definitely, one of them has roots in Connlaoth..."

He adjusted his hat with his free hand again, thinking. "I suppose you could find it in other places, too... If you wanna go cheap, this sort of powder can be bought anywhere that sells stuff for farmhands. But this particular brand... I think I'd know it anywhere." Did that mean the mage hunter who had used this powder was a fellow Connlaothian? He bit his lip, hoping it wasn't true.

[Thief]

Jack listened as Josiah explained about the tranquilizer. It was not easy to hear over the storm, but he heard what he needed to hear. It made sense though, since some of the mage hunters were rogue mordecai. Jack needed to inform Josiah what he was in for.

Jack's voice was very somber as he said, "I guess that means we are going to have to face mordecai at some point. I hear that, not only are they skilled fighters, but they can block the use of any magic as well. If we find these mages, they will be helpless without their magic. It will be very difficult." Jack looked to Josiah, not sure he should take anyone with him.

His first step would be to wait out this storm. After that, he would go with Josiah back to town, where they would track down a place that sold Connlaothan tranquilizer. Not having any farming background, Jack would have to rely on Josiah for help. He had no choice, he must find out what happened to Scarlet.

[Anonymous]

"Mordecai?" Josiah echoed, his voice a hoarse whisper.

Mage hunters and Mordecai – he had always separated the two in his mind. Mordecai were people who protected him from bad mages, from people who misused magic and didn't abstain from using it. He hadn't even thought of the fact that he might have to fight against people who he had always seen as his protectors – and he wasn't even sure if he was ready to do so. Still, he remembered Oathshot that was strapped at his side – that pistol whose trigger he had never once been able to pull.

"You really think its Mordecai doing this?" he asked again, looking out at the rain. The thunder struck ferociously against the summer blue sky, as if Ansgar himself was expressing his anger at the events that transpired down below. He suddenly felt a wave of homesickness wash over him, but he knew it could only be cured if he could Jessie again. He didn't want to believe that the Mordecai could be involved in the disappearances, but he knew it wasn't a possibility he could exclude.

"Whether they're involved in this or not, I have to keep going, no matter how difficult it gets," Josiah muttered, mostly to himself. He turned to Jack, tilting his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if there's a place in the Thunderblacks that sells this kind of powder," he mused to his partner, turning his head back to the rain. "I used to be a farmhand, back home – that kinda stuff should be pretty easy to find." Plus, he was a detective - finding things was his specialty.

[Thief]

"Yes, I believe a few of them were rouge mordecai. It's the only way someone could attack a group of mages with so little resistance." It was the only explanation. Judging by his reaction, Josiah seemed more disappointed than anything, but Jack could sense a bit of nervousness. He was probably worried about fighting his countrymen. "These won't be like the ones you knew. These mordecai are rouges, probably deserters."

Jack met Josiah's eyes, he wanted to make sure this was understood. "I know this won't be easy for you, but you have to remember something. These mordecai are no longer part of Connlaoth's army, and they no longer have to follow any code of conduct. They are no longer your countrymen." If Josiah could not stand against them, he would not be of any help. Josiah needed to understand this, both so Jack could find Scarlet, and so he could find his sister.

Jack was not too fond of mordecai either, especially the special ones that could also block his ability. However, he was still unsure how Josiah might react to that, so it would be best to keep it to himself. "I've met mordecai before. My impression of them is that they are proud soldiers who feel they are helping their country. While I may not agree that magic should be banished, I do think the mordecai are excellent soldiers who do their job well. These rouges have either left or been banished from their ranks, and do not serve Connlaoth anymore."