In the small office of Sergeant Hally, the two older men sat with grave expressions, sipping their alcoholic beverages. After a moment of silence, Sergeant Hally asked, "Did you find any more members of this cult?"
"Yeah…" Killian replied, downing his drink in one go, his face twisting in discomfort. "And I killed them all."
"Good. Do you think this case is connected to them, too?" Sergeant Hally asked, mirroring Killian's action as he poured another round for both of them.
"I don't want to think so, but it seems likely," the senior detective said grimly. "Lately, there's been a surge of these kinds of murders in and around the city. All the special units are tied up dealing with them, and I'm starting to believe it's the work of those fanatic bastards."
"Why do these bastards have to come to our city?" Hally asked in frustration. The so-called Cult of Silias had been causing countless problems for the city over the last decade, and it was the primary reason the special units were established.
"Because it's easy to get in, can't you see?" Killian replied, pouring his next drink down in one go. "The city's filled with people from all over—many of them refugees, exiles, or war survivors. It's easy for these cultists to blend in, mix with the crowd, and prey on the vulnerable."
He leaned back, his expression dark. "Just look at our own Commandant Sher. She came from outside, and half of our unit members are from other places too."
Hally couldn't help but agree with his old friend. He and Killian had been born and raised in this city, growing stronger here, so they had a deep attachment to both the city and its people. But for those who came from outside, it might not feel the same. Still, he couldn't blame them—after all, Free City was built by people from elsewhere who decided to settle here permanently.
While this diversity was good for the city and its economy, it also brought problems. Overpopulation was a minor issue compared to the larger ones, like shady organizations using the city as a base for their operations. Crime rings, corrupt factions, and now the worst of them—a fanatical cult.
The Cult of Silias was involved in every crime imaginable, from slavery and drugs to forbidden magical practices. And worse, they sacrificed innocent people in exchange for power, spreading chaos wherever they went.
"They're vetted thoroughly, so I don't think any of our members would be followers of the cult," Hally said, though the thought of someone within their ranks turning after joining made him mutter under his breath, "But I can't say for sure if they'd stay clean after being recruited."
Killian chuckled as he poured another drink. "Well, whatever the case, I'm about to deal a big blow to those fanatics. Just wait, Hally. Something's stirred them up, and I think I've got an opportunity to go after a few of the higher-ups—not just the low-level lackeys."
Halley raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Killian's statement. "A big blow, huh?" he asked, leaning forward slightly. "Care to share a bit more about what you've got planned?"
Killian downed the drink he'd just poured, setting the glass down with a small clink before meeting Halley's gaze. "I can only say so much," he said, his voice a low murmur, the weight of his words hanging in the air. He paused for a moment, as if carefully considering how much to reveal. Then, with a sigh, he continued. "A few high-priority assassination targets have made their way to the city.
People important enough that the cult seems unusually bold. They're going after them, heads first."
Halley frowned. "Assassinations? So that's why the cult's been so active?"
"Exactly," Killian replied, pouring another drink but this time only swirling it in the glass without drinking. "They're making more moves than usual, exposing themselves in ways they haven't before. And that's what's giving me the opening. While they're distracted, I'll take down more than a few of those bastards."
"I can guess who those high-priority targets are, but it'll be incredibly difficult to assassinate them—really, really hard," Hally said, recalling the rumors circulating among the city's higher-ups. He continued, "You might have heard about the few individuals rumored to be grand mage candidates coming to the city."
"I have, and I believe one of their servants has joined our special unit," Killian replied with a smirk.
"Yeah…" Hally nodded. "It's going to be tough for that kid if people find out he's a servant to her."
"Definitely going to be tough…" Killian said, hiding a smirk.
They were obviously talking about Cassian, who had no idea how much danger he was in. But how could he? He was still new to all of this, while those who put him in this position should have known better.
After finally navigating the city and gathering all the reports, Cassian was now returning with Robert to the surprisingly empty, fog-filled streets. He felt exhausted and slumped back in the carriage seat.
"Man, fuck the work! This was supposed to be a day off," Robert said, sharing the same tired expression as his new friend.
"I shouldn't have come back so early..." Cassian said, regret tinging his voice as he recalled leaving Katherine's room earlier that evening, which had led him to do all this work so late at night.
Robert, hearing him, asked, "Oh, that... Where were you last night?" He glanced out of the carriage window and added, "I didn't see you in your room until this evening."
Cassian knew better than to reveal the truth, so he replied, "Just visiting someone," and attempted to change the subject. Looking outside at a rather empty street, he asked, "Isn't this main street usually busy around this time?"
"I think so..." Robert said, his voice laced with confusion as he tried to make sense of their surroundings in the dense fog. But before he could gather his thoughts, he saw something flying out from the dense fog toward their carriage. Reacting instinctively, he ducked down and shouted, "It's an attack! Get down, Cassian!"