"Who are you?" Two armored guards halted Will as he rushed toward the gates of the Paralar Empire.
"Will, Will Gibson. I belong to the Paralar Empire—I must enter the city!" Will exclaimed between ragged breaths, his voice urgent.
"Hold it, kid. The empire is under lockdown. No one goes in or out without clearance. We need to verify your identity," one of the guards said sternly.
"What? Lockdown? Why?" Will asked anxiously. He had only been away for a few days, yet it seemed the empire had plunged into chaos.
"A brutal murder has occurred," the guard growled through clenched teeth.
"A murder? What exactly happened?" Will pressed.
"No comment," the guard responded curtly, pushing Will back as he tried to force his way in.
"Wait! Let me in! I need to get inside!" Will shouted, struggling against the guards' grasp.
"Will?" A familiar voice echoed from within the gates.
Moments later, a familiar face emerged—short brown hair, a freckled visage. It was Eddie, Will's childhood friend.
"Eddie!" Will cried out, astonished to see him.
Eddie, now a Cleric, was clad in light silver armor, a gleaming silver sword sheathed at his hip. Over his armor, he wore a white cloak adorned with a crimson cross, the mark of the Clerics. He looked sharp, full of energy.
"Will, thank the heavens—you've returned!" Eddie called out, thrilled to see him.
Will stood silent, taken aback. He gazed up and down at Eddie, envisioning himself in that noble armor, that sacred cloak. Once, that dream had felt within reach—but now, it was a glory lost to him. All he could do was admire it from afar.
"He's my friend, a true citizen of the Paralar Empire," Eddie said as he stepped forward to the guards.
"Yes, sir!" The guards immediately lowered their hands and stepped aside.
"Will, I'm so glad you're back. Come, let me take you home," Eddie said warmly, patting Will on the shoulder.
"Alright!" Will responded with conviction, now collected.
...
A few minutes later, within the city walls, Eddie and Will walked side by side toward Will's home.
"Where on earth have you been? Do you know how worried we all were?" Eddie asked as they walked.
"Heh... sorry. I guess I acted rashly and ran away from home," Will said with an embarrassed grin.
"You won't run off again, will you?" Eddie asked.
"Um..." Will lowered his head and gave no reply.
"I overheard the guards at the gate mention a murder—something severe?" Will suddenly asked, lifting his head.
"Heavens! That was supposed to be confidential!" Eddie said, eyes wide in shock at Will's serious expression.
"Even from me?" Will asked quietly.
"No, of course not. I'll tell you—but you mustn't breathe a word to anyone. Most citizens still have no idea," Eddie whispered.
"What happened exactly?" Will glanced around cautiously, lowering his voice.
"The victim was a noble named Roman, a key figure in the empire," Eddie murmured.
"Roman?" Will echoed, puzzled.
"Yes. He oversaw the entire food and supply distribution of the empire."
"And how did he die?" Will inquired further.
"In his own chamber. He was tortured. His body bore many wounds, but the fatal blow was to the head—likely a blunt weapon," Eddie said softly.
"That's horrifying. Was the killer caught?" Will asked.
"By the grace of the gods, yes. We apprehended the culprit right in Lord Roman's chamber," Eddie said with a sigh of relief.
"Who? What did they look like?" Will pressed, suddenly recalling the innkeeper's mysterious letter. At least now, hearing the killer had been caught, a weight began to lift from his heart.
"It was a woman—about your height. She had short, red hair," Eddie replied after a pause.
"What?!" Will stopped in his tracks, his shocked cry drawing curious glances from Eddie and nearby passersby.
Eddie's description matched Lisa exactly—the same Lisa who had once helped him in the Bonecrack Arena.
"And… what's going to happen to her?" Will asked, anxiety creeping into his voice.
"She's being held for now. Her execution is scheduled for three days from now," Eddie replied.
"Three days?!" Will shouted again, drawing another round of puzzled looks.
"What's wrong with you? Why so worked up?" Eddie asked, bewildered.
"Can you take me to her? Let me see her?" Will pleaded.
"Well... I could. But you must tell no one—this breaks Cleric protocol," Eddie said.
"Of course. Lead the way," Will said, his voice filled with gratitude.
...
Not long after, they arrived at the gates of the imperial prison.
"I'm a Cleric of the Paralar Empire, and this is my companion. We request to see the assassin of Lord Roman," Eddie declared, presenting the golden pendant that marked his status.
"Very well, sir. But you must surrender your weapons," the prison guard said.
"Fine," Eddie said. He and Will exchanged a glance before removing their weapons.
"This way, gentlemen," one of the guards said, leading them inside.
"Due to the significance of her crime, she is held deep within the prison—far from the usual cells," the guard explained as they followed him.
They passed down a long corridor, lined with crude iron-barred cells. Inside, a few prisoners stared out at them with hollow, resentful eyes. At the end of the hall, the guard stopped before a heavy door, produced a ring of keys from his belt, and unlocked it.
"This way," he said, turning to them.
Beyond the door lay a winding stairwell, thick with dust—clearly unused for ages.
At the bottom was a small, sealed cell. Apart from a tiny window in the door, there was no contact with the outside world.
"She's inside," the guard said, gesturing toward the dark chamber.
"May we enter?" Eddie asked.
"May we go in and see her?" Will added.
"Yes, sir," the guard replied, then unlocked the cell for them.