Black Onyx - Forgotten Magic

In no time at all the guards gathered on the road in front of the Warrior's Guild. They were all confused as to why they were called on such short notice. Unfortunately, their commander didn't know much more than them.

"Thank you all for gathering so quickly!" the Guildmaster came out and stood at the front door and spoke with his powerful voice.

"You are probably all wondering why I gathered you here… I won't waste any time explaining, just know this: I have received information on who is behind the recent attacks on our people!" The Guildmaster looked across the gathered guards, and as expected they were all shocked.

"The Guildmaster got some clues? I wonder who it is?"

"It's been so difficult these past few weeks, people are afraid to even go out of the city!"

"Our information gathering team didn't discover any clues, how did the Guildmaster do it?"

The guards started discussing among themselves.

"Listen up, men!" Guildmaster shouted. "The information I received points at the Serrell family! Specifically the City Lord, Egott Serrell! He was apparently working with a foreign force, the Blood Sun Viper sect, to ambush and kill our brothers and sisters!"

"What?!"

"It was that bastard Lord again!"

"My brother disappeared a month ago, so it was them?! Kill them all, revenge for the fallen!"

"We must bring them to justice, to answer for their crimes! Brothers! Charge at the Serrell mansion!"

A commotion erupted among the soldiers once again. Many of their friends and family members disappeared, and they were all worried about their safety. Now that they discovered who was responsible, the pent-up anger and frustration finally had an outlet.

It erupted like a volcano, and many bystanders got influenced by it, joining in the shouting.

"Silence!" the Guildmaster roared to get the situation under control. "The information is not confirmed yet! That's why I gathered you here, we are going to march at the City Lord's residence and get some answers! We will search for clues to either confirm or disprove the suspicion!"

He took a short pause for dramatic effect and then continued, "I promise you, we will search the mansion from top to bottom and question every servant and slave that works there! If they are indeed responsible, we will bring them to justice!"

Woooooo!

The entire mass of more than one hundred men shouted at once in approval. The sound shook the hearts of all people present, imbuing them with courage, and lifting their spirits.

"Soldiers into formation! Forward, march!" Commander Javiar shouted and pointed with his sword forward.

The soldiers started marching under the watchful eyes of the onlookers and followed after the commander and Guildmaster.

Gerald smiled from behind and then quickly followed the army. "Come, let's go," he said to Xilia and pulled her hand. "We will need your help to find the evidence."

"Mn, okay," she nodded in a daze. She never imagined that things would turn this way. She wasn't aware that her masters were disliked to such a degree in this city. If she did, maybe she would have tried to come out sooner.

That's what she thought, but the truth is, she would have never taken such a risk if it could potentially put her sister in danger.

The City Lord's mansion was not that far away, so after a few short minutes of walking, they arrived at the front gates.

It was a simple iron gate that kept the people inside and separated from the rest of the city. The mansion was surrounded by a few meter-tall white stone wall with black iron spikes on top.

But that, of course, didn't stop the march of the army. Not bothering to even acknowledge the guards at the gates, under the lead of the Guildmaster Crobus and commander Javiar, the warriors marched forward.

The stupefied guards didn't even have time to react before they were arrested for later interrogation.

"Where is that slimy worm of a City Lord?!" The Guildmaster shouted when they arrived at the front door. "Search the mansion! Bring me all documents and letters you can find."

A few dozen soldiers stormed the mansion according to the orders, while the rest searched the servant quarters and established a perimeter, in case someone tried to escape.

They rounded up all of the slaves, servants, and butlers on the premises, as well as the guards that were on guard duty that day.

Not a single person was left unchecked, not even the City Lord himself or his family.

"What is the meaning of this? Guildmaster Crobus, what gives you the right to just barge in my home for no reason?" Lord Egott Serrell complained, but his voice sounded weak and nervous. It immediately gave people even more suspicions about his guilt.

"Hmph! No reason to worry, Egott," the Guildmaster called him directly by his name, not giving him any respect, "We have received the information you had your part in the disappearance of Guild's warriors recently."

"What?!" Egott Serrell started sweating profusely, "I would never do such a thing! It's only in my young years that I was rash and now you always think it's my fault when something bad happens… It's so unfair! I'm innocent!"

"Then let's just wait and see, shall we? If we find nothing connecting you to that case, I'll personally apologize and compensate you for your time," the Guildmaster nonchalantly spoke, while his eyes were watching everyone like a hawk. Not a single change escaped his notice.

"I'm telling you I'm innocent! You won't find a single thing, mark my words!"

'Heh, if he's innocent then I'm not fit to be the Guildmaster! This bastard is guilty, I know it!' Crobus thought in his heart. But although he was extremely angry, he had to keep his emotions in check.

A few hours passed and the soldiers that entered the mansion carried out all sorts of documents. Most were your average business and city-related stuff, but a few of them indicated some shady business going on behind the scenes.

There was scamming in trade and tax evasion, as well as some other minor offenses, but nothing of what the Guildmaster wanted to see the most.

No records of aggression or secret missions, no letters of contact with the Blood Sun Viper, nothing!

The mansion was almost turned over, but there was no trace of the documents.

The Guildmaster was getting more irritated by the minute. Finally, he was unable to hold it in any longer and so he erupted, "Where did you hide the records you snake?!" He lifted the poor City Lord by the collar with a single hand and shook him hard in anger, "Speak! Where did you hide it?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, I got nothing to hide! This is slander! I demand you leave my property right now!" The City Lord gradually gained more confidence as time went on. He was worried at the beginning, but now that the Guild's warriors were unable to find anything substantial, his confidence returned.

The Guildmaster was stuck between a rock and a hard place, he knew there had to be some hidden storage, a secret door, that would bring him to the documents he wanted. But apart from demolishing the mansion, he didn't know how to find it.

He was already considering torturing the City Lord to get him to spill the beans, but that would be too barbaric and it would tarnish his reputation as a just and compassionate leader.

"Maybe my friend can help with that small problem of yours…" a lazy voice sounded out. It was, of course, Gerald who spoke out.

All eyes turned to him and Xilia who was standing beside him. Gerald was completely calm, meanwhile, she became extremely nervous being observed from all sides, like an animal in a zoo.

"Of course! I completely forgot about the young lady over there!" The Guildmaster's mood brightened immediately and he released Egott, making him fall to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

An all too familiar voice came from among the captured people "Hey, what are you doing to my father? He's the Lord of this city, you uneducated peasants! Show some respect!" It was Adelard who finally gathered enough courage to stop hiding behind his mother and spoke out arrogantly.

"Oh, fatty! You are here as well? What a coincidence!" Gerald teased him with a smile.

"You!" Adelard immediately recognized the voice of his sworn enemy. He glared at Gerald in disbelief, "How are you still aliv- Khm! What are you doing here?!"

"Hmm? Am I not allowed to be here?" Gerald casually replied, "I came with my friend here to look at what all the commotion is about!" He purposefully stepped closer to Xilia to show his stance on the matter.

In anger, Adelard pointed his shaky finger at Xilia, "You, you traitor!" His last hope of victory suddenly changed sides and was now working with his enemy, how could he not be angry?

"Wait, what's going on here? Why is she here?" The City Lord slowly stood up completely stupefied. 'What is she doing here?! Oh no, has she sold us out to the Guild?!' These thoughts traveled at a lightning speed through his mind. He was finally starting to understand the gravity of the situation.

It would be no problem if the Guild simply searched the mansion, but if Xilia helped them, he would be doomed! She knew all of their secrets!

"Well? Shall we?" Gerald asked the Elf with an evil grin as they both proceeded to walk toward the mansion.