Count Me Out

Hurried footsteps hit the cobblestones along the quiet road. The lampposts dimly cast yellow shades in the dark, only illuminating a few inches of the ground at a time. The night was pitch black, heavy clouds threatening to rain obstructed the moonlight. The docks were close by so the fog from the sea had drifted onto land giving the air a heavy feel. Guards had avoided patrolling late in the area, it was unsafe for security men and criminals alike at that time of the night due to the unknown in the fog.

Yet one man walked with confidence through the path. The cloaked figure moving at a fast pace, panted heavily, his hands trembled and his eyes were aglow with fire. Taking the life of another had lit the embers of his, he truly felt alive at the moment, but he quickened his pace. At first he had to have gotten to his workplace, only a few hours left. Gary, the assassin, was a sordid man, slender and wrinkled fairly with age, he had an apathetic face usually but right then, he smiled with satisfaction.

A long time professional who took pride in his range of kills, humans and creatures, travelling various realms during his time in the Muliebrity war. He could feel the weight of his pay in his pocket, it turned out to be a double win. The customer had paid handsomely and his target had on him something quite valuable too.

Suddenly, a chill rattled his spine. Gary paused to look back at the fog that had become denser even though daylight was already approaching. His senses sharpened instinctively, eyes gleamed trying to pierce into the fog to see what it concealed. A few seconds passed till an inhumanly accelerated attack lashed his way. Gary raised his palm and activated the barrier ring, it shone brightly and the light created a network of lines to form a wall. The attack force ricocheted off the barrier, but pushed Gary back, he planted his feet into the ground not to fall. The attacking long black mass fell limp to the ground and began to pull back. A figure staggered out of the fog.

The woman was tall and her skin pale, unbelievably white. Her green eyes were glassy and lifeless, so were her clothes and the one heel she limped in were whitened, her whole appearance lacked any colour. She was also wet, water dribbled out of openings on her face. She was killed. Assassinated by Gary as he was paid to do.

Gary's eyes narrowed. He examined his kill carefully, apart from being unusually alive after being killed, he scrutinised his prior knowledge of the victim before he had executed his orders;

Name: Sarah Voluch.

Race: Human

Height: 5'11ft

Weight: 65kg

Age: 24 years

He took a week to investigate her routine, habits and abilities. It was an accurate conclusion that she was an ordinary human who got caught up in the rivalry her parents had with his customer.

The vital thing was her race and prior knowledge of magic, none that she had. She was an easy kill, she couldn't sense basic pneuma and more unfortunately didn't have basic survival instincts either, so ironically she didn't know what hit her. Sarah had spent the day with her family, there was a celebratory mood after her engagement announcement. While in the bridal store with her youngest sister, Gary had sent a letter, delivered by a street urchin, posing as her lover. And so, with her own two feet she walked into the embrace of death.

He had leaned on the wall at a sharp corner in wait, once she drew closer, Gary taped her forehead with the back of two fingers. 'Intus Prensar'. The magic was brief and there was little light emitted from the contact of his hands to her forehead. Gary immediately came forward as her body leaned over, he wrapped his arms around her. He held her close and felt her body's tiny spasms and sighed in satisfaction hearing her breath still. After her passing he picked her up bridal style, sensing no one in the vicinity. Then it fell from her hand, a brooch, Gary bent to look at it and his eyes widened. He knew that brooch, anyone who had ever had the misfortune of laying eyes on the Queen knew. It was incredibly valuable in currency and magic definitely, so he picked it up and pocket it.

In the brief moment of thinking back, Gary finally realised his mistake. Why was such a valuable thing ever in the hands of an ordinary human?

Before finishing the thought, the undead lashed out again, this time with multiple lashes. He utilised the barrier ring again, one thing his life of experience had acutely taught him was when to find his kill and realise he'd be killed. If he stayed longer, he wouldn't survive. Gary input more power into the ring, thickening the barrier, then he started chanting a spell. The attacks didn't let up and started to break through the net blockade layer by layer. He chanted faster and the wind started to pick up speed, beneath his feet a circular pattern began to form. Once complete, the circle spread out with many other patterned rings. The wind now was raging, coming to wrap round him, the force cut off the attacking black tentacles. In the blink of an eye Gary disappeared without a trace.

The creature stood alone on the cobblestone road, the fog had cleared by the wind and the first sign of sunlight gently peeked in between the rain clouds.

*Knock* *knock* *knock*

A series of polite knocks came from the other side of a large polished wooden door. It echoed in the spacious room because it was scanty inside, few furniture, a ceiling to floor bookshelf, some tapestries hung on the wall, and the centre of attraction was a wide circular bed smack right in the middle of the room. The wood of the bed was attractively carved and painted a striking gold, the bed itself was covered by a grey fur duvet and comfortably nestled in the middle was a person.

Someone who didn't appreciate the interruption of his slumber. He frowned, dissatisfied, and peered an eye open reluctantly in wait, when he didn't hear anything again he turned over to resume sleeping. Then the knocking started again.

A hand stretched out to loosen the spell placed on the door, a pattern glowed at the entrance before crumbling. Tentatively, a pleasant portly face sprite peered into the room and sighed in relief after seeing the protruding reddish hair from under the duvet. It was a good thing that the nascent master was at least at home to receive the news, he had a habit of sleeping anywhere but in a bedroom.

'Young master?' Winry, the maid, stepped closer intent on delivering her message. A hum roused from between the sheets in reply. 'Well young master, terrible news has been delivered and needs your attention.' He hummed again. 'Gary Lancaster, the head butler of the mansion, is dead young master.' Winry paused to let the situation sink in. After a few seconds, he used his voice for the first time in the day. 'What does the Citizen Bureau conclude about that?' Winry knew the last part was going to bother him more than anything else she said previously. 'Your expertise has been called upon to assist the case young master. It was a murder.' Alexus internally groaned and he could feel a headache begin to form. He finally slept in his bed for the first time in a while, but no sleeping in, no morning routine, no breakfast savouring, no time to relax, he was expected to get out of bed and head to the scene immediately which he was going to do because it was his job. Sometimes, Alexus looked back on his career path and decided that he did make a mistake.

He sat straight and itched his blurry eyes awake. 'I expect, the bath is ready?' Winry brightened, he wasn't eager to go but she was glad he was taking action immediately, she prayed Gary soul finds peace once justice has been executed.

In less than an hour, Alexus was prepared adequately to get to work except he had to skip his meal which worsened his mood. Alexus wasn't a righteous person, quite selfish actually, he worked to find murderers not because he held moral prejudice against the criminals but because it simply seemed like an interesting thing to do. It first started out as a pastime activity to now being his sole employment, he felt like he was in a collar and it was yanked every time he was forced to look into cases he didn't choose to do.

Gary had been a good butler, that was all the opinion Alexus had on the deceased. He never had an interaction with him that wasn't strictly about what a butler usually does and says to the homeowner, his background was reviewed and he did have a few scepticism on Gary's life as a Muliebrity soldier but that was where the good stuff came from. They weren't rare to find, anyone over forty was likely to have been a soldier but some of them were skilled, incredibly so that they had been on the Queen's personal battalion. Those particular soldiers were treated like relics after the war. Gary was one of them, so it was odd that he'd settle for a butler job although the pay was handsome, and thinking about it, Alexus realised his butler was paid higher than he did working. His mood soured further, he decided that after Gary's case he was going to change his fee and get hefty with the Bureau. Maybe then, they'd require his services less.

He turned to the maid who had been tailing him and providing his things. 'Anne. The message Winry delivered, did it come with a letter?' The elf ears perked up and was surprised to be addressed directly by the young master; she didn't think it had ever happened before. 'N- no, I don't know young master, but I'll go find out right away!' She flustered her way out of the room in a hurry.

Alexus sighed, and looked out the window of the dressing room, the sky was cloudy and had threatened to rain since yesterday, the cool melancholic breeze and atmosphere soothed him. His greenish grey eyes lightened when he saw a cat scuttling around probably after a rodent.

The maid came back in a moment, her breathing a bit laboured. 'It was with the governess, young master.' She stretched out a silver platter, an envelope was placed on it, the seal had been broken. He took the envelope and read its contents. It was awfully long so he skipped to the end and got where he was to start his investigation. 'Thank you.' He folded the letter back and placed it on the platter and headed out, a carriage had been prepared in wait, a few instructions and the coach was in motion. Alexus leaned back and mentally prepared for the day's stress to come.

Investigator Doran wiped the sweat from his brow even though the weather was cold, and still early in the morning, but things had been hectic from the start of the day. A witch had reported that she had sensed death in the neighbourhood, and after knocking on every door there was one who didn't respond. The community vigilante had been the one to find his body, and when he himself saw it, he understood why they were too confused to give a solid explanation to the Bureau.

Gary's body, was now similar to a statue but had blackened to the shade of coal. The area was quarantined in case it was a new type of plague but information being released by the Bureau's magical forensics dismissed the plague speculation. It was also mentioned how his insides were not in his body, as if his organs had been scooped out before solidification.

Doran didn't like the tone the situation was taking. A new serial killer on the loose? A cult? He walked back into Gary's apartment and tried to see something he'd miss if one wasn't looking closely. The apartment had an air of humility, furnished to taste and nothing grandiose but there was also a feeling of detachment. Gary had simply taken shelter here, he didn't live in the apartment, there wasn't anything that could be perceived to be of sentimental value to the victim.

He walked deeper into the house, and came across the study. Then carefully examined the books on the shelf, there was a worn out leather journal that had seen better years, he pulled it out. Doran's breath caught in his throat, it was a book of spells and he couldn't believe his eyes when he started to read the details and complexity of the spells and its explicit usage to kill.

'Can I have that, investigator Doran?' Doran almost jumped out of his skin from the sudden voice beside him, and he slammed the book shut. He turned to face the young detective, who looked up at him just nineteen centimetres short of eye level.

Alexus Smith.

He handed the book over, and took a moment to examine the detective. As always, his clothes were crisp and clean and the standoffish atmosphere clung to him second to his cologne which the investigator noted he didn't put on, the cologne smell was faint and a residue of its previous continuous application. He glimpsed the red shade below his eyes suggesting he was still sleepy, and the characteristic unnoticeable thin eyeliner wasn't used. The slight up turn of the corner of his lips was a remnant of irritation. Rushed straight out of bed and right into work and the deceased had everything to do with the unbalanced mood. Doran unconsciously examined Alexus and drew his conclusion in less than ten seconds.

Doran had crossed paths with Alexus multiple times, and it always awed him how the detective had been into this longer than he was and at the same time two years younger than him. There were whispers about the individual prodigies the Bureau had managed to encroach on and eyes were always tailing them so sure that they would be stars of a new turn.

Alexus didn't have an opinion on Doran. He got the job done, and was polite company, he never tried to know the investigator that made most of the joint cases easier for him. 'You've been on the scene from the beginning?' 'Yeah.' When Alexus mentioned it, he realised that he was fatigued and the adrenaline of a new case was wearing off. 'Let me make both of us some tea and check what this guy has in his fridge.' He offered. He was sure the younger detective hadn't had anything to eat either. He got a hum as a reply.

Alexus flipped through the journal quickly, there weren't many spells in it that he didn't already know. He closed it and looked around, taking careful steps and feeling for the pneuma remains in the apartment.There had been too many people on the scene and it was hard to track out anything odd. He walked about and came to the front of the victims bedroom, he spread out his own presence to draw out the pneuma and he gasped softly when he could see how the culprit had used their power.

The source wasn't in the room with Gary, the attack had been done at a distance, moved in a stream and once it sensed him, condensed into its target then dispersed. He had picked up on the pneuma and traced it around the house like starting a maze puzzle from the end. The energy had moved around the home, searching for something? Alexus came to a stop at the entrance of the apartment building with a confused frown, slowly he walked out to the street, people were already out and about their day, and towards the left the trace was thinning but he was sure of his deduction.

Alexus sat at the dining table waiting for Doran to finish with the meal, he crossed his hands and rested his chin deep in thought.

The investigator finished soon and laid a sizable conventional breakfast of bread, cheese, jam, ham, and some dessert with apricot tea. He muttered his gratitude and ate with the countenance of a starved man, it made up for the breakfast he missed just fine. Doran took a sip of his tea and was ready to continue. 'So, found anything yet?' He swallowed his half of a bread slice in a go and was in a good enough mood to talk. 'We won't be able to find the killer with just this victim.'

He took a sip from the cup. 'Whoever did this is skilled, incredibly so that they weren't anywhere in the area when they attacked. The pneuma also had prints of another life in it even though it surely came from one source, the offender is utilising a creature, symbiotic or absorbed? I don't know. It could have also been looking for something but no drawers or cupboards were touched. Once it attacked Gary, it was over so it could be assumed whatever they wanted was on him. I've gotten all I need here, the rest of my work will be external.' Once he finished, he resumed eating. Doran was quiet and in thought, a few minutes passed before he spoke up again.

'Gary was an assassin and still active till of recent. A Muliebrity soldier of the Queen's battalion, it means he had a definite skill professionally. During the employment test of your mansion twenty-two years ago, he excelled in sensitivity, acute reaction, and protective consideration but all spells he had used were back handed, with enough power or slight change in the spells they were offensive spells. And following the historical chronicle of In the eye of her, men of the Queen were still generally trained after being selected and the first five spells of stealth of passing were exactly what Gary had used to pass the exam although washed out to be discrete. The stealth of passing was spells of painless death sentences. The mercy bestowed to people of lesser crimes who thread off the path of the Queen generally used by soldiers to deserters. That's nowhere near the conclusion though.' He paused and drank the rest of the tea after noticing that it had begun to cool.

Alexus passively stared at the investigator, the case had been eight hours at most and here he was ready with the background map of Gary's life tracing to twenty-two years ago, he acknowledged that Doran's ability to get information within short periods was truly what set him out.

'I was first on the scene with nothing touched yet. Gary had put on clothes to get ready for work but didn't finish dressing before he was attacked. He had already taken his bath, and at the door to the bathroom was his laundry basket with clothes folded and arranged in order of wear. He hadn't washed yet in three days, today would have been the fourth. A pyjamas per night but in the basket there was no pyjamas for last night, he wasn't in bed when he was supposed to. This still doesn't mean anything of course but as of when I arrived, there were slightly wet shoe prints and it belonged to a pair of boots. Now, the shoes on his shoe rack are arranged and from their appearance and uses, field shoes were placed at the bottom, fancy occasion shoes in the middle, work shoes and home slippers on top. The boots were in the first category and on the boots were sprinkles of water, there was nowhere in the house that'd require a man to put on boots and fix something water related. It means it was worn out, but there wasn't any drizzling even with the threat of rain, and there are no patches of green anywhere around the neighbourhood that could be assumed he stepped on wet grass. Where could the water have come from? Well, it so happens I was informed this morning of another incident, a body has been found at the port; a young woman of class. The port is the only place in Hargford that has a dense nightly fog that can cover over twenty kilometres.' The inspector and detective locked eyes. 'Stand in fog long enough, and you'll get wet.'

Doran leaned forward, eyes still holding the other. 'It's a long walk from the port though, long enough to get dry but when I checked Gary's spell book, it was also organised. The first set of spells were base defensive, a good combatant waits and analyses their opponents attacks to formulate a good return. The second set of spells was attacks, it was greatly varied and detailed in use and effectiveness in various given situations. The last spell was a quick, powerful, effective escape, teleportation. Teleportation only works when the user creates concentrated spells in areas they're familiar with. Teleportation is instant, and will leave you in the same condition you were no matter where ever you go to.' 'Ah, I could be wrong tho.' Doran grinned.

Alexus felt uneasy, a detailed logical analysis ended with callous words. He knew Doran was good at what he did and he had a feeling that if he had had any doubts about his deduction he wouldn't have said anything.

The declaration of Gary as an assassin was surprising, but Alexus quickly realised it had nothing to do with him anyway. 'I'm sure your reasoning and deduction holds great credibility, it's good you've gotten a foothold on the investigation already.' He stood up and dusted himself. 'I thank you for your consideration, but I'll have to cut our discussion short and get going to see things through on my own end.' Doran smirked and didn't take offence to his indifference, he should have known that mentioning something that the younger man didn't need to be involved with would be glossed over. Alexus got back into the carriage and headed for the laboratory branch of the Citizen Bureau.

The laboratory was stationed to the far west of the city, a twenty minute ride from the Count's location. The building dwarfed any other structure close by, once a castle built for a long gone era. When the Queen had come into power it had been renovated to become a research laboratory dedicated to her cause, it was after her death that it came into possession of the Bureau.

Alex got down from the carriage and as he always did when he visited, admired the edifice and appreciated it's architectural brilliance. The lab was one of the few things that captivated him and was interesting enough to stay so for so long. He looked around for a familiar face once inside and found it immediately, she must have been waiting for his arrival. He walked up to her meaningfully and tapped her lightly on her cheek, her eyes widened in surprise but gave a smile immediately after turning to face him. 'Lex you're finally here.'

Nero Lofts.

A distant relative of the Silths. Quite youthful in age and appearance but she was sharp and raised proper befitting her last name. Alexus had met her after a month of his stay in the manor and it's been ten years since then. It was a surprise when he was told she had begun an apprenticeship at the laboratory but it was also a significant advantage because Nero made a reliable informant. He wondered what she aimed to do with her fast developing intellect.

She brought out a jotter and handed it to him. 'Todays entries.' Then she led him deeper into the building also making small talk along the way. 'Its been a while, how've you been doing?' Alexus hissed. 'Back breaking. I have to supervise our assets, his assets, I have to work pilled up and at the same time trying to find him, every time he gets cornered he just slips away, that snake.' Nero chuckled, then an odd silence fell between them. What he said did anything but explain why he had been ignoring her for the past weeks and he wasn't too eager to approach the topic now or ever.

They walked into a room that was buzzing with forensic staffs and immediately caught the attention of one of them. He rushed over to their side. 'Detective Smith! You're here at last!' The man grasped his hand and shook vigorously, he had quite a look, with straight shoulder length hair with a receding hairline, his skin looked oily and his cheeks where rippened red, the oddest factor was his large nose not belonging on his face.

'Yes, at last.' The count did not share in the greying man's pleasantries. 'Mr Graham, your reports on the body please.'

'Of course!' Graham was a boisterous person.

He led them to the body laid out and dissected on a surgical table. 'The body by appearance was delivered scantily clothed. When we checked the body for injuries or markings, there were scars but have long healed, a tattoo under the rib typical to a native from the outskirt village and missing a left big toe, when the bone under was checked, the top had been rough, suggesting the amputation was from an uneven blade. The skin, is heavily dehydrated, pneuma had been sucked out of every single cell, the blackness is stain remains of the attacker drawing out his pneuma.'

'So solid reminants from the offender?' Alexus cut into the scientists recap.

Graham blinked. 'Well, yes.'

'I'd like a small sample of his tissue, it'll aid I'm my personal inqury.' Alexus politely demanded. The professor thought it over before he reached for his coat and brought out a tiny vial with the victims skin sample inside. He handed it over to the young count with a smile playing on his face. 'This is all you get.' Alexus scrutinised the sample he was given, trying to sense magical residue.

Nero stepped forward, 'Proffesor Graham, I think it'd be wise to show Le— Count Alexus, the second body that was retrieved this morning.' Graham exclaimed. 'Ah, yes, yes, yes! Right this way young'uns.' He shuffled hurriedly out of the room.

The count pulled the apprentice close, and put a few steps behind Graham. 'I was already informed about the second case, she was murdered by Gary.' Nero frowned, 'Pardon?' 'I heard of it from Doran, and he made on point deduction and reasoning from the two cases, Gary had murdered her. The case is good as closed.' He whispered sharply in her ear. She pressed against him to reply. 'True, the murder might have been solved but what happened after she was murdered is a riddle you'd want to be informed about.' The young apprentice smirked.

He frowned and flipped through the jotter she handed him. ''rigid'' and "bleached white" stood out to him and then he was genuinely surprised. 'Here we are.' The professor called out in front of another room.

There were less attendants in the room than the previous one, this body wasn't as fascinating for them. The body had also been stripped, it was so white, it reflected the overhead lights blindingly. Squinting his eyes and coming closer, Alexus finally made out the features of the woman, she had been young and was beautiful even in cold passing. From the tip of her hair to her toes was canvas white and that was the real beauty that Alexus admired.

'Forceful pneuma penetration.' The count breathlessly whispered.

Nero stepped forward and explained. 'Yes it's confirmed that's exactly what it is but I'm sure even you haven't seen one to this scale.' Alexus shook his head in response.

'Proffesor Graham and I are sure it could have been done by Gary's murderer, although the results aren't out yet. But think of it, someone capable of absorbing a grown mans pneuma completely, it's not impossible that they can inject that amount into another body.'

The count stood speechless for a moment before recovering. 'She was already dead? Why—' '—would someone inject pneuma into a dead body?' Nero finished his thoughts, then she smiled mischievously.

'I think that's for you to find out Detective Smith.'

Alexus was already escorted outside when he passed Nero her jotter, she shook her head and pushed it back towards him. 'I wrote her whereabouts and address inside. It's double trouble but I think taking along her case would speed up the investigation.' He felt inside of him crack. 'Thank you Nero, I hope I can get this case blown over as soon as possible.' He paused and stared into her eyes. 'The bakery near the manor have upgraded their menu. I'll get you something next time.' She seemed to consider it before smiling. 'Something sour sweet.' 'Of course.' He quickly reassured.

In the carriage, Alexus stared at the address written in the jotter trying to think but his mind oftentimes drifted to what he just left behind.