Recursion (Aoren)

[Ignotus Everto]

30th of Summer, 514AV

Ignotus never quite appreciated how much paperwork government involved. Especially after the damages of the previous season, and the flooding of earlier Summer, the Lord of Counsel's sizable desk was completely covered in forms, files, and warrants. Currently, the biggest of the lot was from the Wave Guard. A wizard's corpse was found in the World's End Grotto, mutilated and tongueless. The document Ignotus was staring at described a second body.

"The Guard suspects a serial killer." said Justus, concern creasing his face. The Denvali was leaning over his undead compatriot, a hand resting on the desk. "They want to know what your plan of action is."

Grey lips pursed together, and the Nuit's eyes squeezed shut. "Another mess..." his mind muttered. "The..." He took a quick glance at the paper, "Mage silencer, he's called?"

"It could be a woman." Justus said thoughtfully.

"Possibly." replied Ignotus. The wizard had his own ideas of who this "silencer" was. A man at a party, with a strange scepter and the ability to dampen magic- an ability that should be impossible. Even if it wasn't him, the excuse to find the source of his power was impossible to pass over.

"I want you to look into Bartholomew Hiltse." he told Justus, motioning vaguely towards the door. "Take a Council Guardsman with you. One of the earnest ones. He may not be the killer we're looking for, but the parallels are too large to ignore. You can tell him that if he tries to weasel his way out." Ignotus paused. "In fact, if he gets dodgy, take him in. Otherwise, I'm more interested in intelligence."

"As you wish, my Lord." said Justus with a sharp nod. "And the body?"
"Send for an Aurist." replied the Nuit, "With luck, something of value can be gleaned from the poor soul's past."
"Anyone in particular?"

Ignotus drummed his fingers against the desk for a couple ticks, "I think we did something similar with the first body. Was the fellow we brought in effective? I can't quite recall."
Justus shrugged, "Would you like me to fetch him?"

A couple more ticks of thought, then "Yes. Someone who's examined both bodies might spot something more easily than a fresh face."

Justus nodded again, "As you wish, my Lord."

The Lord of Counsel leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples.

This was going to be a long day.

[Aoren]

Aoren had never been summoned by any sort of high standing government official before. Suffice it to say he was nervous. In Syliras he had only ever had the scarcest dealings with the knighthood. He likely hadn’t ever been face to face with anyone higher ranking than a sergeant. He couldn’t even imagine what it might have been like standing in the presence of the Grandmaster of the Syliran Order. Aoren hadn’t ever even seen Loren Dyres so to be summoned to the offices of the de facto leader of Zeltiva was something he couldn’t quite wrap his head around.

Upon receiving the summons the young man had wondered if perhaps there was another Aoren Skycrown somewhere in the city of Zeltiva. When he realized that there most certainly wasn’t he had scrambled to find something decent to wear. All of his clothes were worn from moderate use. He didn’t own a thing that could possibly be suitable for the meeting of someone titled a Lord of Council.

“I should probably invest in something I can wear for special occasions like this.”

Aoren had never been one for frivolous spending. In this circumstance such a purchase seemed like it would have been warranted. When he’d properly washed his face and put on the newest looking pair of clothes he owned he stood in front of his dog spreading his arms wide.

“Well? How do I look?” Isikai quirked his head.

“Right. You’re no help.” The dog barked at him. Aoren tossed his companion a dissatisfied glare before sighing. He ran a hand through his hair then brushed some dirt off of his boots. Resigning himself to the fact that he would not be any more presentable than he currently was Aoren grabbed his quarterstaff moving for the door. Isikai stood up from where he sat moving to follow the Drykas man. He considered for a moment whether it would be appropriate to take his dog with him to see the ruler of the city. Gently he pet the dog on the head before deciding that Isikai would accompany him. After some of the things he’d been through in Zeltiva thus far, he didn’t want to be without him.

“Alright, boy. Let’s get this over with.”

---------------

The reception hall of the Lord of Council’s office was likely one of the most elaborate places that Aoren had ever been to. The sheer amount of luxurious style that had gone into not only the architecture but the furniture let him know exactly who lived there. He most certainly felt out of place amid all of that grandeur.

“Can I help you?” Aoren’s eyes came to rest upon a rather fat man with receding hair and a prominent jaw. Striding forward with as much confidence as he could muster, Aoren came to stand just a foot or so away from the desk.

“I was summoned. My name is—“ The corpulent man nodded.

“Ah! Master Skycrown. Yes, we’ve been expecting you. Please, go right in.” He gestured to a pair of doors not far from the desk. Aoren blinked at him.

“Expecting me? Right. Of course they were expecting me. They summoned me.”

Giving the portly man a polite nod Aoren motioned for Isikai to follow him. He was glad of the fact that he kept Isikai clean. The sizeable hound was a comfort in an unfamiliar place. Tapping the doors to announce his arrival Aoren opened one then stepped inside followed closely by his dog. He glanced around the room.

“Wow.”

Aoren couldn’t imagine living in such opulence. The whole concept of vast stores of wealth was foreign to him. He was a working man. He believed that he would be a working man for the entirety of his life in one form or another. While he was certain there were difficulties aplenty when it came to governing a city he hadn’t the slightest as to what those might be. But he was about to meet a man who did.

“You called for me, Your Excellency?” Aoren came to a stop before the man who could be none other than the Lord of Council. He had an inkling as to why he was there but Aoren thought it best to let this official direct the conversation lest Aoren suddenly find himself in the city dungeons for displeasing him. Isikai came to a stop directly at Aoren’s side where he seated himself. The large canine stared forward studying the Lord of Zeltiva with the reddish brown eyes that hinted at his heritage.