Chapter 26: The Breath Before the Plunge

The party reached Aleria the following day as night fell. The others had all given in to better spirits despite the bloody melee of the day prior. Nambu was clearly more at peace following what he had referred to as a “balancing of the scales.” The sun was out and the day was warm, further improving their moods. Even Heath’s anger from the night before had been tempered by sleep and the day’s travel. In the gathering night, the warm lights of the great city drew them in, and Heath’s thoughts turned to what would come next.
As they reached the guildhall, Heath’s mind was intent upon the work ahead of him. As the others began stabling the horses and unloading their gear, he cautiously pulled Kriv aside. 
“What now?” The dragonborn hissed, reluctantly following Heath to the far side of the courtyard. 
Heath ignored the urge to snap back. “Now that we’re back, I know there’s a lot demanding your attention. Tasks to delegate, roles to fill, and so on. Once the others are back from whatever they’re doing at the mountains, you’ll have more than enough hands to help with the various trivial contracts that the guild has lined up.”
Kriv raised a scaled brow. It was thoroughly disconcerting.
Heath pressed on. “You know I’m right. Unless you’re keeping something from us all, there’s nothing big until the tournament. And tidying up those small jobs shouldn’t be much of a problem.” Heath glanced at the others, making sure none were in earshot as he lowered his voice. “I’m still worried about the assassin. The woman who killed the Motovani brother. I know she’s not a contract, but I don’t like the idea of someone like that just… out in the city. I’ve got a feeling that she could still pose a threat, and I want to make sure that threat doesn’t come knocking.”
Kriv remained silent, his barely glowing eyes studying Heath. The ranger knew he hadn’t explicitly asked for permission, but hopefully the intent had come through. He would continue tracking down Murmur, uncovering whatever he could, but he needed Kriv to be aware. At least in part. As the dragonborn’s intense gaze bore into him, Heath hoped he hadn’t fully tipped his hand, but eventually Kriv nodded.
“Fine,” he muttered. “On a couple conditions though, I can’t have you galavanting around the city on your own agenda. You have to keep showing up. Consistently. Back at the hall. No more going days on end without us seeing or hearing from you. You don’t get to deal with this all on your own. You can make it a point to keep showing up, and keeping us apprised of any progress. That way if you stop showing up, that’ll be our first warning that something went wrong.”
Heath inhaled, paused, and then nodded. He knew it was the best he could hope for, especially when he continued to press the issue. By all accounts, it was as much a way for Kriv to keep eyes on him as it was a way to keep him safe. Heath also recognized that it would in all likelihood be a very short leash that would be all too easy to hang himself with. He needed to find her before someone else uncovered his own connection to Murmur.

The next several days saw Heath step seamlessly back into the old patterns of his bounty hunting days. He replenished his supplies and quickly moved to reconnect with his contacts. He left signs and signals, marking dead drops, and indicating that not only would he be contacting them soon, but he expected something of value from each of them. Each marker and signal had the same meaning: “person of interest.”

Two days after the first group had arrived back in Aleria, the others returned. It was after sundown, and Heath was at the guildhall speaking with Kriv. Nothing had come from any of his contacts, but it had only been a few days. He had spoken to them individually, and given them what they needed to begin seeking out word of Murmur. Kriv had begun getting word about other troubles in the city, but he was keeping those close to the chest. Heath was quietly stringing a new longbow when the guildhall doors slammed open as dusty, travel worn figures stomped inside. 
Cassian entered with a troubled look on his face, and his sister crossed the room in an instant to meet him. Behind him, Daen strode in like a thundercloud, his simmering anger even more palpable than Cassian’s emotion. Orsic followed the large man, but the swarthy dwarf simply looked tired from travel. Adrie and Victra followed in contrastingly high spirits, the elven women chatting easily as they dropped their packs. 
Lastly was a stranger. He was a young man with messy brown hair beneath a wide-brimmed hat and dark cloak. He followed slowly and cautiously, and as he stepped inside, his cloak swept aside to reveal an artificer’s contraption on his hip. It was a strange, intricately designed piece of machinery that bordered some dwarven or gnomish clockwork devices  to Heath’s untrained eyes. 
As Heath watched Cassian and Svrcina speak in hushed tones, Daen introduced the newcomer as Cael. The flat tone of his voice made it clear there were to be no questions, and not to press the issue. Heath’s eyes narrowed as Cassian motioned Kriv over and the dragonborn’s expression quickly grew grave. Turning his attention to Cael, Heath noted his suspicious eyes, how his hand unconsciously strayed to the device on his hip, and decided he was better off not knowing. 

Days passed. As the bustle of Aleria grew in anticipation of the upcoming games, the guild likewise saw their days grow full. From small jobs around the city, to personal endeavors when the time allowed, it was rare to see more than a few members together at any one time. 
It was one of those rare times, on a clear morning, that the guild gathered in the great hall. Nearly everyone was present, at Kriv’s insistence. Heath had been out canvasing the city through the night, but had broken off to arrive at the guildhall by daybreak. Kriv had told him that the news he had for the group would be important for him to hear.
The night had not been fruitful. None of Heath’s leads had turned up anything of use. Nothing more than rumors, barely even possible to entertain that they might have had something to do with Murmur. As time went on, the lack of progress was beginning to wear on Heath. 
Across the gathering, Kriv stood and the low conversations around died out. “Thank you all for making it on such short notice,” he said, hands clasped behind him. “We all know these past days have had us all juggling responsibilities, but there is always more to do. But I’ll get right to it, I know time is not something we all have an abundance of.”
“We have the Contest fast approaching, and with it comes an increased security threat. I’ve received word from several reliable contacts that more than one criminal element is scaling up their operation in preparation for the celebration.” Kriv’s lip curled into a snarl. “I know we’ll have security roles during the Games, but I’d like to winnow as many of those threats as possible before they even gain a foothold.”
“Time to break down some doors!” Mars said, a grin splitting his face. He slapped Iden on the shoulder, the massive knight barely reacting.
“To put it bluntly, yes,” Kriv agreed. “We have numbers enough to handle everything that’s being demanded of us. Some of you will remain on your designated tasks for the time, the rest will be reallocated to help root out these parasites.” Kriv looked sidelong at Heath, giving him a small nod. It was small, but clear acknowledgement that Heath was to continue with his investigations, while very clear that it might not last. 
Heath returned the nod, clenching his jaw. He knew his time was limited, but having another acknowledge it made it sink in. He needed to make some headway.
“Then, unless anyone has objections that I can ignore,” Kriv let his unfinished statement linger. No one spoke. “Good. My sources have identified two hideouts in the city, linked to seemingly separate groups. That much has not been fully confirmed, but the locations are certain. We’ll hit them one at a time, but quickly. One tomorrow night, another early the next morning if everything goes according to plan.”
“When does it ever?” Victra chuckled dryly, earning a dark look from Kriv.
“I’ll be taking lead on these,” Kriv said, turning his attention back to the table as a whole. “Svrcina will act as my second. Iden and Daen will be our door breakers, and Victra will help with the investigations and making sure things go according to plan.”
Victra smiled and nodded, conceding Kriv’s point.
Nambu stepped forward. “Cassian and I will continue to coordinate here, working with other investigative guilds leading up to the Contest. If anyone has questions about their duties, you may speak with either of us.” Nambu paused, then continued. “We’ve also not heard from Adrie in several days, and she knows we need all hands on deck.”
“I’ll seek her out,” Mars rumbled. “Lilith can come with. Adrie’s good at hiding out,but  the two of us should be able to sniff her out. If she’s in trouble or simply gone afield, we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
Nambu nodded. “Good.” He looked back to Kriv.
The dragonborn met Heath’s eyes again. “Your investigations are ongoing?” He asked. Heath gave a nod. “Then you’re to pass off what you learn through our new intermediary. Her name is Ellien. She runs with the Sparrows, one of the groups local to the markets.”
“One of the gangs, you mean,” Heath said. “I’m familiar with them.”
“Good,” Kriv said. “They’ve been taken on by the guild in a limited fashion, but Ellien is trusted. She doesn’t need to know any details, but she’s aware of our person of interest. And for the time being, she will act as a go-between. Understood?”
Heath begrudgingly nodded, offering no complaint. Bringing in outsiders and expanding a circle of trust never sat right with him. Too many chances for things to go wrong. Too easy to have someone say something they should never have known in the first place. 
“Then you all have your assignments,’ Kriv said, stepping back from the table. “Days are busy and time is in short supply. Back to it.”

Three days later, all Heath had accomplished was putting the fear of his wrath into every single informant he could track down. From the darkest alleys of the Docks, to the taverns of Turen, even to the pristine streets of Illenia, Heath had bullied, bribed, threatened, and menaced. Each day had grown longer as he pressed himself, denying his need for rest. He still found himself no closer to uncovering any hint of Murmur or her purpose in Aleria. Each day that passed seemed to mock him, hinting either that he was vastly outmatched or that there was nothing to be found. Neither gave him much solace. He was drowning his simmering anger in a sour dwarven stout, his head aching from lack of sleep, when Orsic’s voice cut through his thoughts.
“It’s been three days, time to get y’tail back to the hall, laddie,” the smith rumbled, his voice magically projected into Heath’s mind. “Kriv needs an update, and the others are back from their raids.”
Heath grunted wordlessly, hoping his annoyance was conveyed. He downed the last of his drink, the taste lingering in his mouth. Hefting himself from his seat, he dropped a handful of coins on the table and walked for the door.
At the guildhall, Heath relegated himself to the side, leaning against a wall. He didn’t trust himself to sit, his exhaustion threatening to cause him to doze off. The others slowly filtered in, only a few absent, but all accounted for. Even Mars and Lilith had tracked down Adrie, reassuring the others. Kriv was running through what the raids had entailed and what the subsequent investigations had uncovered. 
“…so they were certainly different groups,” Kriv was saying as Heath blinked tiredly, “but both professional and efficient in their tasks. Each safehouse was reinforced and fortified, which is impressive considering they’ve only been in Aleria a short time according to my contacts.” He motioned to the table where two piles of assorted papers, maps, and scrolls lay.
“It also seems that both groups are looking to the Contest as the date for their plans. The city will be crowded and ripe for chaos, creating a difficult time for any unsuspecting resistance.” Kriv smirked. “But we are no longer unaware. One group is nothing more than opportunistic anarchists, known as the Jagged Claw. They’re looking for chaos and disruption. We’ll pass along what we know to the Aleria Guard and keep our own eyes on the task at hand.”
“And the other group?” Cassian asked.
“The Crimson Whisper,” Kriv said, pointing to the larger of the two piles. Heath cocked his head, his weariness evaporated. “They have a much more detailed plan with very concerning intelligence concerning the High Arbiter. Everything we recovered points to an assassination attempt, likely during the games.”
“The Lawmaster? Hah, are they crazy?” Mars laughed. “Even if they could reach him, getting past his guards and the Arbiter himself, how would they get out? They’d be trapped?”
“They wouldn’t,” Heath whispered. Kriv met his eyes and nodded morosely.
“Exactly,” Kriv said. “These seem to be fanatics, true believers in their cause, whatever that might be. Their plans are detailed, mapping every possible avenue the Lawmaster could take during the Contest. Even if an attack were to happen, how he could be extracted, where he would find sanctuary. But the plans have no mention of retreat or escape. These people made a plan that has every degree of approach mapped, with the full understanding that they will die in the attempt.”
A sober silence fell over the group. Heath ground his teeth, his eyes fixed on a red sigil half obscured by papers. 
Kriv broke the silence. “The good news is that both groups belong to syndicates that are not native to the region. They have an uphill struggle to get entrenched in a city like Aleria, and these plans are likely imperative to those goals. They will be short on resources and shorter on allies. Taking out these safehouses will have them desperate. Everyone will have assignments the day of the Contest. Beyond our regular duties and commitments to the festivities, we’ll all do our best to make sure no criminal element is able to disrupt the games.”
Muttered acknowledgments and nods came from around the room. Heath remained quiet, memories scratching at the edge of his mind. Both factions were known to him. In all honesty, he probably knew more than any of what Kriv’s informants had been able to dig up. His eyes involuntarily glanced again at the red marker buried in parchment. A memory rose up unbidden, the same sigil sprayed in blood as Heath stood in a quiet room filled with bodies. The Crimson Whisper, known as the Crimson Spiral in other places of Valir, had flourished in Bordova years ago. At least, until they had been excised. He had known about their expansion up and down the Silk Coast while he had been with the Order. He had known all the players, every piece in play. But for all he knew, Heath knew had to keep silent. 
“Then we will see you all on the morrow,” Kriv said, dismissing the group.
Still frowning, Heath moved towards the door. They had enough, he told himself. Whatever else he could have told them would not be the knowledge that would change the outcome of the next few days. Any whatever small bits might have bearing, it would bring up too many questions that he wouldn’t be able to answer. Tired and in a darker mood than before, Heath wound his way to the lower parts of the city, resuming his hunt.

The night before the Contest of Guilds, the great hall of Guild 237 was full and lively. Food and drink were enjoyed as Nambu and Kriv dispersed assignments and expectations around the upcoming games. The tournament would take place over two full days of events, games, and festivities with visitors and competitors alike coming from across the kingdom. The main events with contests of strength, daring, and skill would take place within the colosseum while a massive fairgrounds attracted merchants, artisans, and performers. For days, the city had been abuzz with anticipation and it was all leading up to the opening events come the dawn.
They had decided on a split approach to both the competition and security. Kriv had delegated groups to be dispersed through the fairgrounds while maintaining at least two sets of eyes on Arbiter Sangrinh at all times. As their group was still newly licensed, they could only officially operate within an investigative capacity, not as security. As such, they had been denied their request for a formal contract for the event.
“Then we all get to compete!” Mars shouted exuberantly. He clapped Iden on the shoulder. “We shall win glory and gold, my friends!”
Kriv narrowed his eyes, but didn’t immediately rebuke the former gladiator. “We will be able to do both. Our twin tasks of maintaining a proper standing through the Contest and continuing in our efforts to keep the days undisrupted must both be on everyone’s minds.” He glared around the room. “We must be just as ready to deal with whatever criminal elements arise as we are ready to conduct ourselves in a favorable manner.”
Muttered acknowledgements greeted him. Mars chuckled softly, shrugging.
“Ah, we can have fun in and out of the arena. As long as we get seen doing it, yeah?”
Kriv sighed, shaking his head. “And speaking of being seen, you degenerates will be in the eye of the public throughout the events. So each and every one of you will show up presentable and clean. You will maintain a professional presentation while you represent this guild.”
Jokes and protests erupted as Nambu stood and began to read out a list of the various events of the Contest. Despite the knowledge of the threat of an assassination attempt, the air of excitement around the tournament filled the room. As the members put their names in for different events and contests, Heath quickly dismissed all such notions and hung back.
As unsuccessful as his efforts the past weeks had been, he knew the Contest could be a turning point for Murmur as much as it was for the criminal factions. Whatever her task was, the crowded city distracted by the bustle of celebration would be a prime opportunity for Murmur. There had to be a reason, a target. Murmur wasn’t mad, she was purposeful. Murdering Miguel wouldn’t have been her end goal, his death alone would accomplish little, and he wasn’t that personal of a target for her. So why was she in Aleria?
If he was in her position, Heath knew he’d wait and bide his time. As much as he hated to admit it, the waiting would make anyone familiar with her more paranoid. And anyone else would become complacent. He hated it, and there was nothing he could do. But the Contest.
The Contest of Guilds was the sort of affair that drew crowds from across the land, not just the Alerian kingdom. Even with his brother’s death, by all accounts Rodrigo would be there along with the entirety of the Alerian nobility. Rodrigo as a target would be personal, though any number of the noblemen and women of Aleria could be a prized mark for an assassin. Heath wondered if perhaps she was a piece in the plot against the High Arbiter, the thought troubling him. 
If her involvement truly went deeper, and was somehow connected to the criminal syndicates working to entrench themselves in Aleria… Her presence in such an enterprise would be pivotal. Even as unlikely as he thought, Heath understood that even that possibility could serve as a warning for what the future could hold should those go unchecked and unchallenged. 
He looked up, seeing that the discussions around the table were quieting down with several of the members taking their leave for the evening. His weariness slowly returning, Heath shifted from his spot on the wall, nodding to Kriv before making his way to the door. Barely outside the gate, a shadowed figure appeared at his shoulder, pulling him into an alley. Heath’s hand was already closed around his dagger when he saw Victra’s pale face regarding him with a smirk and cocked eyebrow.
“You won’t always get away with doing that, you know,” Heath scowled at her.
She chuckled dryly. “I will whenever it’s you,” she replied in good humor. “You didn’t speak up about tomorrow. Already tell them when you’ll be competing?”
Heath spat. “Right, I’ll be the one they want out there performing. I won’t spill blood as a show for their amusement.”
“This is something for both of us,” Victra said softly, resting a hand on his shoulder. “You and I will both find no end of tasks to keep us busy. There’s always someone to find, some monster to kill. But maybe this is a time where we can make an effort for the guild. I’d say they’ve earned that, at least?”
“What, we haven’t done enough for them already?”
“Fool,” she said, cuffing him on the side of the head. “This is important to them. You’ve been consumed with whatever it is you’re chasing around this city, it’ll be there when this is all through. Fate will take care of itself, some things you can’t always understand or force. They just have to happen.”
“To hell with fate,” Heath muttered. “And to hell with the tourney, I want nothing to do with it.”
“They’ve been working to claw back anything resembling a decent reputation. They don’t have the luxury of having your brooding shadow as a part of their charm,” Victra scolded. “They have to do things differently. And they have. A proud showing at the Contest is important for them, especially Kriv. They’ve worked hard to get here.”
“Then let them perform as much as they want for it.”
“This is no different to you taking bounties,” Victra reprimanded, fixing Heath with a stare that made him look away. “You’re taking coin for performing a task, maybe spilling some blood. Only difference is that tomorrow everyone will see you at your best. Or your worst.”
Heath growled in frustration.
Victra rolled her eyes. “Come on,” she said. “I promise it won’t be as bad as you’re thinking, and it’ll mean the world to the others. At least it can show them that you can play nice.”
“Fine,” Heath said through gritted teeth. “You can tell Nambu I’ll do one event. And I won’t like it.”
“Two,” Victra countered with a shine in her eye. “But I promise I’ll make sure they’re quick ones, and something you actually stand a chance to do well in. Can’t have you embarrassed wrestling Mars in front of everyone.” She laughed as she squeezed his shoulder.
Heath glowered, but nodded. He knew she wouldn’t let it go, and he didn’t have the energy to fight. The recent days continued to weigh on him, no matter the disgust he felt.
Victra smiled. “Thank you. If anything happens now, you know I’ll take the credit. And in the dreadfully unlikely event something goes wrong, you can blame me.” She turned, waving as she walked away. “Have a pleasant night, ranger.”
Heath glared after her. Retreating from the guild hall feeling a mix of defeat and frustration, Heath craved the solace of solitude. He tried to turn his mind to the task of finding Murmur, but instead his thoughts were filled with contempt. He mentally reprimanded himself for agreeing to whore himself for the pleasure of the masses. It didn’t matter how much this performance meant to the guild, it disgusted him. But more than that, it sickened him that this was how the people of Aleria chose to celebrate one of the bloodiest points in their history.
As Heath walked through the darkened streets, consumed with his own thoughts, he was once again reminded that the people who lived safe lives in cities like Aleria had short memories. Whatever horrific pasts had gone, these people would rarely be concerned with anything outside of their immediate spheres. No matter the toll, no matter the reasons. Heath grimaced and lowered his head, especially thankful he had given up on trying to believe in any higher ideal a long time ago.