Chương 106: Chapter 105: Chasing Ghosts

The teleport gate was about fifty meters away when the messenger found me. He was a young soldier in the Count's colors, and he came running down the harbor road, his boots slapping against the wet stone of the port. He was out of breath by the time he reached me, and his salute was shaky at best. Lune growled at his sudden arrival, and the kid nearly tripped over his own feet, trying to keep distance from my little companion.

"Orion!" He tried to catch his breath.

"Orion, th— the Black Ranger?"

"That's me."

"The Count requests your presence, sir, at the Lord's Hall. Immediately, if you would." I looked at the teleport gate. The blue light coming from the circle was inviting, just as it had been for the past ten minutes. I'd been walking toward it at a pace that was, admittedly, slower than necessary. Leaving Tidemark felt like closing a book, and part of me wasn't ready to shelve it just yet. Regardless, I hadn't expected the Count to call for me.

"Lead the way," I said. The soldier nodded, clearly relieved that I wasn't going to make this difficult, and we started walking back up through the harbor district toward the administrative quarter. Lune hopped beside me, occasionally darting ahead to sniff at the flowers beside the road before circling back. Merchants were setting up their stalls, and I had to say, their wares were getting more and more impressive by the day.

A group of players was gathered outside the Adventurer's Association Hall, and as far as I could tell, they were getting ready for a dungeon run. They were loudly discussing the details about a cave just north of Tidemark, in the northern mountains, at least. I should see if there are any Gold rank quests available, I thought. Also see if any are related to dungeons; those might have appeared after we unlocked the dungeon system.

Two children chased each other around the fountain in the market square, their laughter bouncing off the stone walls. The scars of battle were fading fast. We reached the Lord's Hall in about ten minutes. The guards recognized me and waved us through without question, and I de-summoned Lune just in case there was a 'no pets' policy. There probably wasn't, but just in case. Count Robert Vizgrad was in his study, not the grand hall, and that alone told me this wasn't a formal audience.

He stood by the window overlooking the city, his hands clasped behind his back, watching the ships come and go. The circlet of white gold sat on his desk, not on his head. Even the way he dressed was different; simple clothes beneath a worn doublet. Still, he felt like a ruler. Cathe was there too, standing by the door with a leather satchel. She gave me a nod as I entered.

"Leave us, please," the Count said to the soldier and to Cathe without turning from the window. They left, and the door closed behind them with a squeak. A moment passed before he spoke.

"You were on your way out," he said, and I wasn't surprised he knew.

"I was."

"Then I won't waste your time." He turned from the window and gestured toward the chair across from his desk. Vizgrad sat across from me and put both hands on the desk, palms flat, and I sensed that something clearly weighed on him. I'd seen him do the same thing in the tent before the march, and again during the feast when someone mentioned Darius.

"Two hours ago," he began, "a merchant arrived from Serendine County. He was part of a trade caravan passing through Serendine, their county capital." I raised an eyebrow.

"The merchant is someone we trust. He supplies our court with silks from the southern counties, and Cathe had used him as an informant in the past. Not a spy, mind you, but someone with good eyes and a sharp memory." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully.

"He claims he saw Calian." The name landed like a stone dropped into still water.

"In Serendine?" I asked.

"At a tavern near the city's market. He was dressed differently, no armor, no visible weapons, but the merchant recognized his face. He said Calian was arguing with two men he didn't recognize, and that they left the tavern separately." I leaned back in the chair and processed the information. Calian had escaped Tidemark with a robed figure, a dark mage almost certainly tied to the Church of Abyss. That had been almost two days ago.

Two days was more than enough time to cross into a neighboring county, especially if your companions were mages uncannily proficient in portal magic.

"Is the merchant reliable enough to stake a lead on?"

"If I didn't believe him, I wouldn't have called you here." Vizgrad met my eyes.

"But I won't pretend this is ironclad. It could be a mistake. The merchant saw him from across a busy tavern for less than a minute."

"But you don't want the trail to go cold."

"I can't afford to." There was real weight behind those words. This wasn't just about politics or security. Calian had been Vizgrad's closest advisor and friend. The betrayal cut deeper than he would ever want to admit. I understood a wound like that.

"Why me?" I asked, though I suspected I already knew part of the answer.

"Athos, Kara, and Lothras are still in the region. If you want the trail followed, a full party would be more effective." Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Vizgrad leaned back.

"Who you go with is up to your discretion, if you accept my plea. However, Calian was right about one thing during this whole affair. He told me that the four adventurers he'd assembled were the finest Tidemark had to offer. He wasn't wrong. I suppose he needed the best if he wanted the key for the Trident." He stood and walked to the window again. The morning light accentuated lines across his face that hadn't been there a week ago.

"But here's what I've been thinking about, Orion. Of the four of you, you were the only one Calian recruited personally." I remembered. I met Calian in Carpa after the archery competition, and they mentioned that similar scouting parties had been sent to the other three villages to look for adventurers.

"Athos was brought in through Vern's contracts," Vizgrad continued.

"Kara was recommended by the Association in Shadowreach, and Lothras was suggested by Captain Donovan." He turned to face me.

"You were the one Calian found himself. That puts you closest to the conspiracy, even if only by a step. You spoke with him even before the quest began." I nodded. It wasn't much of a difference; at most, I had a five-minute head start on Calian compared to the others, but it still meant I spent the most time with him.

"There's also the matter of discretion," the Count added.

"If you want companions, then so be it. But be careful. If Calian is in Serendine, he's there for a reason. A four-person party of recognizable adventurers arriving at once would draw attention. A lone ranger, however…"

"Blends in better."

"Precisely." I looked at the window, contemplating my options, then I looked back at Vizgrad.

"I'll go." He exhaled.

"Thank you, Orion. Truly."

"I don't know if I will succeed or not, but I will do my best to find him."

"You have my gratitude. Even knowing someone looked will help me sleep at night." He opened a drawer and produced a sealed letter.

"This is for the Countess of Serendine. Her name is Helena Eventide. We're not close, but we're not enemies either. If you need local support, present this. It carries my seal and explains, in broad terms, that you're acting on Tidemark's behalf. However, I have no jurisdiction in Serendine, so this is more like a gesture than anything." I took the letter and placed it in my inventory. Quest acquired: The Ghost of Tidemark Follow the trail of Sir Calian to Serendine County.

Investigate the reported sighting in the city of Serendine.

"I have one more thing for you," Vizgrad said, and I looked at him after dismissing the notification.

"Calian knows what you're capable of. If he sees you coming, he will not underestimate you, even if your strength isn't on his level yet, which means he will be far more dangerous than anything you faced in those dungeons. Do not engage." I nodded. He was right, of course. Calian was level 70. If it came to a confrontation, I wouldn't survive it.

"This isn't a mission to fight him," the Count clarified, as if reading my thoughts.

"It's a mission to find him. Where he is, who he's with, what he's doing. That information alone could change everything."

"Understood." I stood, and the Count extended his hand. I shook it.

"Tidemark won't forget, Orion."

"I'm just doing what's right," I said.

"Besides, Calian betrayed me, too." He bowed, which made me feel a bit weird. He was the Count, after all. I sent Athos a message as I walked back through the city streets, toward the teleport gate. Orion: You busy? His reply came within a minute. Athos: Depends. What's going on? Orion: The Count pulled me aside. Calian might have been spotted in Serendine. He asked me to follow the lead. A longer pause this time. Athos: Alone? Orion: He thinks a solo approach works better. Less attention. But it's up to me.

Athos: Hold on. Two minutes passed, and I would have bet all of my gold that he was talking to Kara. Athos: Kara wants to come. So do I. But we can not leave Second Wind hanging any longer. I smiled. Orion: I know you can't. Besides, Calian would have a better chance of recognizing us if you did. Athos: Kara says, and I quote, "he's going to get himself killed, and we're going to have to bail him out, again." Orion: When did she ever bail me out?

Athos: She says she healed your ass off in both of the dungeons, then died for your little rescue operation at the Church Square. Fair points, both of them. Orion: Tell her she's right about everything, but Second Wind needs you both. The guild system is already live, and if you're going to compete with King's Glade and Crimson Court, you can't afford to have your founder and your best support chasing ghosts across the region. This time, the pause was longer, almost two minutes. Athos: She knows you're right.

We'll focus on the guild. But Orion, the second you need us, you send a message. Not a 'things got complicated' message after the fact. Preferably one before things go sideways. Orion: You have my word. Athos: Good. And Kara says she's adding interest to the date night. I laughed. Orion: Noted. I closed the chat and opened a new one. Orion: Lothras. His reply was almost instant, which surprised me. Lothras: Orion. Orion: Calian might have been spotted in Serendine. The Count asked me to look into it. Solo.

Wanted you to know. A short pause. Lothras: I'm already in Salt Throne. Skull wanted to meet. Lothras had always been a loyal Crimson Court member, and now that the civil war was over and the political dust was settling, it made sense that Skull would want the man who was in the middle of it close. Orion: Understood. Watch your back. Lothras: I always do. Then, after a beat: Lothras: If you find him, don't engage. He's not someone you can fight. Orion: I know. Lothras: Good. And Orion? Orion: Yeah?

Lothras: If it's real, and you need a shield, I'll be there. First, the things he'd said at the end of the pier, and now this. He keeps surprising me. Orion: I appreciate it. I closed the interface and kept walking. The teleport gate was exactly where I'd left it: at the edge of the harbor district, its blue light steady against the midday sky. A handful of players were clustered around it, checking maps and arguing about destinations. Two of them recognized me and waved, and I raised a hand in return.

I opened the gate's interface. The map of Silverwing's region filled my vision, eight counties spread across the western coast of Ravenloft. Tidemark sat in the northeast, and Serendine was just below, to the south-west, filled with tall hills and vast forests, if the map was anything to go by. Destination: Serendine, Serendine County Cost: 10 gold Cooldown: 24 hours Ten gold was steep, but I had money to spare, and every hour mattered when tracking someone like Calian. I confirmed the destination.

The blue light of the gate expanded around me, and for a moment, the sounds of Tidemark's harbor dissolved into silence. I heard no gulls, no waves, no merchants calling out prices. Just the sound of the gate pulling me through the space between places. I thought about what waited on the other side. A city I'd never visited and a county I knew nothing about. Along with a trail that might lead to answers or might lead to nothing at all. The light swallowed everything.

When it faded, I was standing on a stone platform surrounded by tall oak trees, their canopies filtering the sunlight into shifting patterns on the ground. The air was different here. It was colder and drier, but it had the familiar smell of the sea; Serendine was also a coastal city. The teleport platform sat on a hill overlooking the city of Serendine, and the name suited it.

Where Tidemark had been a fortress of stone and sea, Serendine sprawled gently across a wide river valley, its buildings a mix of timber and stone, with bridges arching over waterways and green spaces woven between the streets. The city walls were lower than Tidemark's, more decorative than defensive, lined with ivy and flowering vines. A cathedral spire rose at the center, and the river cut through the heart of the city like a silver streak.

It looked peaceful, but at this point, I knew not to judge a book by its cover.