Murder in the Morning

[Kotoru]

☵ 26th of Frost, Year 119, Age of Steel ☵

"Common Speech"
"Synskrit Speech"

☵ The stone streets glowed a warming pink in lieu of the sun that lined the road. The snow glistened a special way this season, and it was always a nice treat after his birthday. He liked to walk the streets and feel the crunch of it under his feet.

Times like this made him happy even if his way of life was fraught with danger from the family business. He also had to be grateful that he was alive after nearly being killed by some lowly bandits. In any case, he found solace in the cold embrace of Frost and how quiet the city was.

But this day would not be as quiet as he thought. Every now and again he could see people moving briskly to the Low City. Someone would be talking to another and they would rush off. He found it weird but was also curious as to what was happening.

Walking up to a shop owner who seemed to be closing up for the trial he figured he ask what all the noise was about."Hey, what's going on? Why is everyone in such a clamor?" he asked, a bewildered look on both his and the shop owner's face. You must not have heard, some poor guard was found butchered in the streets awhile ago. Its all anyone has been talking about since this morning. he said, locking up and heading home. I would be careful my Kozoku, they say he was a youngin, no older than you.

The answer was definitely a surprise to the viper and he wanted to get a closer look-see. When he got there he was surprised by the scene. It was gruesome for sure, the body hacked to fucking shit. What made him mad wasn't the fact this poor guy was killed, it was how brutal of a job it was.

If you kill, at least make it clean. He slowly eased through the crowd further, till he could clearly see the body. It was a good thing the Skyguard hadn't had a chance to clean up the scene yet, still trying to find clues. Moving to where the barricade was set up, he approached one guard and told him that he was of the Hattori house, wishing to help in solving the case alongside the Skyguard. The guard told him to wait a moment, and after some time he was permitted to enter the crime scene, under the conditions he did not tamper with anything.

Kotoru had one advantage however over them, as he was a natural-born killer, and knew how one thought, or at least he thought so. With that mindset, he believed only he could solve this mystery. His eyes looked the scene over. "What in the special breed of hate was this for?" he whispered with an obvious tone of disgust within the muffled words.

It was clearly obvious that whoever or whatever did this was skilled enough to take down an Avialae guardsman. The crime scene was the biggest clue of all, a fight seemed to have happened, the guardsman defending himself from his attacker. The brutality of it all was truly overwhelming.

Another thing he noted was another obvious clue. His wings were removed, which could denote many meanings in of itself. He was formulating theories but without more clues, it was just that, pure theory and speculation.

He turned his attention to the crowd of spectators, trying to see if maybe, just maybe the killer was still around, wanting to see how others reacted to their handy work. That's what he would do if it were him who had committed this murder. No one seemed out of the ordinary in his eyes, but then again he could blend in with others and seem like a functioning member of society, so what was to say this killer didnt have that same capability as well? ☵

[Talon]

The last time he had visited this particular section of the Low City, Talon had been fighting off an incursion of the dread monsters that lurked within the Warrens. As he walked, he could clearly recall every moment of that battle. The events had left their mark. While many had moved on from the danger that the Warrens presented, grateful for the guardianship of his people and the protection of the Sky Guard, the nightmares were an ever present threat for one such as Talon. He walked with his head held high. The crest of House Novalys was visible from the cloak that was pinned over his shoulder. He was not looking forward to seeing what awaited him beyond the crowd of people that were gathered ahead of him.

He had been with his father meeting with the Elder Council as they discussed diplomatic matters. His father and his mother were beginning to insist that he become a more noticeable presence in the council chamber. Logically, Talon had known that the day would come where he was expected to step up to the role that everyone assumed he would inherit when the time came. Talon simply hadn’t really thought about the impact it would have on his life. In many ways, the burdens of royalty were not the exalted lifestyle that manny common folk believed it to be. There were expectations and there were responsibilities heaped upon his shoulders that Talon didn’t know if he was ready to face. Especially given the current political climate of the city. An emissary of Lorien had come to Kalzasi. The dark kingdom that prowled the edges of every Synnekar’s nightmares. The whole reason for the founding of Kalzasi, the flight from the far east, some believed had come full circle.

In the council chamber there had been speculation as to whether or not the ambassador had brought the shadow of the Kindred to the city. The very thought had put everyone in the chamber on edge. It was all his father could do to convince the council not to send a contingent of Sky Guard to retrieve the ambassador and throw him into the dungeons of Mistreach Keep. Paranoia and fear of the unknown were rampant among the most powerful tiers of the city and its territories. Fear that his father expected him to help placate. And that was why Talon was in the Low City. That was why he was walking with measured steps toward the scene that had been described to him when the news of the murder was brought to them. Normally, such an investigation would have been left solely to the Sky Guard authorities but the young Avialae that had been killed and the presence of the Lorien ambassador demanded that royal interest in maintaining the peace be displayed.

As Talon approached, he was immediately recognized by the members of the Sky Guard on the edge of the crowd that was gathered. The guardsmen bowed low to him. He acknowledged them with a nod of his head though he did not smile. There were no smiles to be given for that day.

“You honor us, Kozoku but…” The guard hesitated. He was human and beside him was a Rathari that looked to be of a wolf variety. The two exchanged a look. “...this scene might be distressing to you.”

Talon felt his stomach drop at that. He met their gaze steadily. The cold grey of his eyes was as icy as the season’s namesake. Talon girded himself in that frost, that cold anger.

“I am no stranger to horror, Guardsman. Show me. And please…” He glanced around at those gathered. “...disperse these people. They need not be burdened with the grim sight of such troubles.”

The two guardsmen bowed and then began parting the crowd. As people became aware of what was happening, the people made a path so that Talon could approach the gruesome scene. Whispers were abound as those who recognized both him and the crest on his shoulder sparked gossip. Talon kept his focus on that which lay before him. He was kept his posture relaxed but proud and dignified. He had to project strength to the people when fear and doubt would be rampant. While he might not give a speech, his handling of the situation would send just as many ripples through the common circles and even into the nobility. As Talon passed, there were those who either curtsied or bowed to him. He acknowledged each with either a glance or a slight inclination of his head. He arrived at the murder scene and what he beheld filled him with both anger and revulsion.

It would have been easy to believe that this had been the work of a beast. It would have been easy to dismiss the whole ordeal as the ravenous rampage of a wild and deranged monster. But the way in which the corpse was strewn about, the precision with which the wings had been severed, those weren’t the makings of a beast. An individual who was beastly, perhaps, but no mindless creature.

Talon’s jaw clenched. His eyes zeroed in on the young Avialae’s face. The young man couldn’t have been older than Talon himself. His face was frozen in a mask of agonized pain and horror. The silent scream that must have been torn from his throat as he died was still just on the cusp of his lips. It made Talon sick. Behind him, the Sky Guard were working to disperse the crowd. As they did, Talon noticed another standing there who did not quite fit in. He didn’t carry himself like a common man and Talon thought for a moment that he recognized his face. He certainly recognized the color pallet the man wore. It was Talon’s place to be versed in the various noble houses of Kalzasi. It was expected of him to be able to at least identify them by association if not outright.

“You are of House Hattori. Were you in the area when this happened?” House Hattori was known among the nobles. A vassal family to House Dahshida. They were reputed to be able bodied and skilled in the arts necessary to keep the borders of the city and its interests safe.

[Kotoru]

☵ 26th of Frost, Year 119, Age of Steel ☵

"Common Speech"
"Synskrit Speech"

☵ His eyes focused on the faces of those present, the civilians, the guards, officials. Anyone was a suspect at this point, and he was looking for someone's who's face didnt match the rest. Not a face that didnt belong there, but one that didnt match the normal response of those who would have seen something like this....or caused it.

He was no expert investigator, but it made sense when he thought about it. If they did indeed return to watch the reaction of their handy work, they would be looking within the crowd for their reactions to it. That's what he was looking for as he gazed over the spectators. As he did though, he could see that another commotion was happening within the crowd.

"What's happening over there?" he asked a guard moving past him. "The Prince is here." words that caused a brow to rise on the expression of Koto. He didnt think this was an issue for higher nobility. But then again it was an Avaelie that had been killed and de-winged, so it couldnt be helped.

Turning back to his assessment of the crowd, he saw the guards were ushering them away from the scene of the crime, causing him to cus under his breath. The prince must have ordered it, maybe to keep the people from panicking, which wouldn't have helped anyway. Many had already seen, and word of mouth was a powerful tool, one he was certain the killer would use its advantage if his theory was correct.

With the crowd dispersed he went back over to the body, watching as the guards were trying to figure out the time of death. If he had to take a guess, judging from the semi-dried blood on the corpse and scenery, the poor guy had been dead for quite some time. He had to have been killed at night. Could he have been ambushed, and was there a possibility there was more than one assailant?

That was also a good possibility and explain how a Skyguardsman was overpowered and killed. As more thoughts and theories entered his head, he noticed the guards around him frantically standing at attention, then bowing. He almost didnt notice that the prince had come over to him. Going straight into a formal kneeling bow he nodded to affirm he was indeed a member of House Hattori.

"I am the second son of Kyofu Hattori, the current Patriarch of House Hattori, I am Kotoru Hattori my Kozoku." he formally introduced, before standing and looking up at the royal. "I just happen to be taking a stroll here when I found out about this atrocity. I was lending my service in investigating this crime." he added, turning his attention to where the crowd was moments ago.

"I was canvassing the spectators following a theory of mine before you sent them away from here my Kozoku. But with them gone I can focus on gathering particulars about this incident." he said looking back at the body. "Forgive my frankness, but if you ask me, I believe whoever or whatever did this was trying to send a message. One that I don't you would like, Then again I'm only going off of a theory here." he noted, kneeling in front of a large blood splatter. ☵

[Talon]

Talon motioned for the Sky Guard to continue their business. The less they had to stand on ceremony and the more they could focus on the task at hand, the more likely it was that those responsible for the murder would be found. The Avialae directed his attention back to the Hattori, Kotoru, as he introduced himself. He let the young nobleman explain himself before offering a nod of his head.

“I am Talon. Firstborn son of Savien. Well met, Kotoru.” Talon touched the tips of his fingers to his chin in thought before looking back to the corpse, or at least the part of it that was in front of him.

“Do we know his name?” One of the officers standing nearby stepped forward.

“Tetsu, of House Sumura, he is the nephew of the Hatokomon, my Kozoku.” Talon frowned. That complicated matters quite a bit.

“House Sumura is a vassal of House Veyl. They are not known for being the most...approachable.” That was putting it mildly. On top of the decadence that House Sumura was known for among the upper echelons of the nobility, its patriarch was reputed to be a horrid gambler who was not always kind to his staff. There were rumors among the upper nobility that House Sumura had recently gone into serious debt and was struggling to recover from its losses. Talon suspected it was due to their patriarch’s gambling habits. Still, Talon doubted that this atrocity had been done to send a message to Tetsu’s uncle. The Novalys heir clasped his hands loosely behind his back. His silver eagle feathered wings shifted slightly. Reaching into himself, Talon stirred his aether into motion. Channeling it through his rune of Semblance, he touched upon the area working to broaden his perception in order to get a taste for what still lingered from the attack.

His senses were immediately flooded with the smells, lingering emotions and sensations of those that had gathered not too long ago to behold the gore. He furrowed his brow, concentrating in order to sift through the noise of what wasn’t important. He centered his attention upon the corpse of the fallen Avialae in order to get a lingering sense of his aura. Even in death, things left an impression for a day or two. Were Talon more powerful in the gift of Semblance he could have gotten a complete sense of what had occurred down to minute details from scents to perhaps even sounds that may have occurred. After a few moments of careful concentration, with the rune etched over the right side of Talon’s face glowing softly, he found what he was looking for.

It was faint but it was there. He got a sense of confusion, fear, desperation, bewilderment, all of these things stemmed from the lingering aura of Tetsu. Traces of fear and the distant echo of a scream touched upon Talon’s senses. The deeper he delved, the clearer things became until he was hit full force with a wall of absolute rage. It was red hot and seething with anger laced with traces of hate. Talon sharply withdrew and took in a steadying breath. He reached up and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.

“This was not the act of a mindless beast from the Warrens.” Talon stepped up to the body, again noting the pain and horror frozen on the young man’s face. He was filled with sadness for a moment. “There was rage in this killing. Hate, even. Whoever did this was indeed sending a message, one I think is meant for a much wider audience than just House Sumura.”

He turned his gaze to Kotoru.

“House Hattori is known for its more nuanced skills.” Talon put emphasis on the word nuanced. His grey eyes studied the young nobleman in front of him for a moment before he continued.

“Your theory. What is it?”

[Kotoru]

☵ 26th of Frost, Year 119, Age of Steel ☵

"Common Speech"
"Synskrit Speech"

☵ He watched the prince of his country as he inspected the scene himself, minding his manners and trying not to dishonor his family name by doing or saying something stupid. His head tilted to the side while he worked, but decided to do something a little unorthodox, closing his eyes and holding out a hand.

Ether filled it as he entered the deep place, the abyss he found solace in, calling out to anything that would accept his offering. He knew that he needed to control how much he was offering, knowing that the most basic one didnt cost so much. After a few moments, he was no longer there, the scene of blood and gore were gone, replaced by an endless space of dark water.

Looking around he could feel the presence of something nearby, something lurking just beyond his purview. He couldnt place it but it was definitely the feeling of being watched. After some time, he could see speckles of light in the distance. The speckles were all around him, growing in size until he could see it, the jellyfish from his first time trying to summon something.

It was not alone though, as there was a plethora of them, coming from within the deep of the abyssal void. "Care to lend me your help?" he asked, looking to the one lone creature, it had come out and was floating in front of him as the others swam around him like a shark to blood in the water.

"Yes" it came in a simple nonchalant tone, as the eyes of the skull inside the creature glowed an eerie green.
"What should I call you? Do you have a name?" he inquired. "Sah'viirdost" the tone never changed, the eerie green glowing a bit brighter a bit.

With the name of his summon, he gave the ether being offered, which the archetype accepted, pulling the two back into the waking world. Blinking from being disoriented, Koto gathered himself before seeing Sah'virrdost floating at his side. "I need you to keep an eye out for anything that looks out of place." he whispered to it as the prince seemed to have come to some conclusion.

Hearing it seemed both nobles were on the same page or at least thinking in the right direction. It was definitely a crime of anger, the brutality of it all was too great to be anything but that. "Great minds think alike I suppose." he began, as the Prince had asked what his theory was.

"Well for starters, as you have already guess, I believe this was a message. The audience being the city as a whole, but I honestly believe that it's directed at the Avialae of the Kalzasi. It's sad that He had to be the martyr for such a message, but it wouldn't have held any weight if it was just a human or other race." he began, starting to pace around the corpse.

"I also believe that this will not be the last killing. If there is as much hate and anger as you say in this murder, then whoever has done this has not satiated that anger just yet. My theory is that the killer is trying to shake up the city, most notably the nobility, as most of the higher nobility are Avialae. I beleive that this is true since you are here. No doubt the Greater houses are concerned that an Avialae was killed in such a fashion, so much so that they sent someone to investigate.

Now don't take this to heart to much, but this is just my musing. Whoever did this will be watching how the nobility reacts, how they respond to the situation. They could still be in the vicinity, hence why I have this little fella keeping a lookout for anything out of the ordinary." he said pointing to Sah'viirdost that was floating above his head. ☵

[Talon]

Talon was not intimately familiar with the powers of Summoning. He had little desire to conjure creatures from the aetherium to do his bidding and as he beheld the one that was hovering near Kotoru, he was cemented in the idea that it was something he would rather avoid. The entity reminded him too much of the monstrosities that lurked in the Warrens. He turned his attention away from the creature and to the young Hattori nobleman as he explained his theory. It was a sound idea.

If what Kotoru said was to be believed, the message had been received loud and clear. An Avialae House had now been left short one son. Such was not a pleasant thing for any Avialae given the difficulties they faced in conceiving sons to begin with. No matter how unpleasant the individual or how foolish, the loss of life was something that lessened their species as a whole. The motivation behind the attack was also logical. But there were plenty of Avialae who had enemies among both the other nobles and the common folk. Few of them were so heated that it would spark such an openly violent response. Conflicts between the nobles of Kalzasi were subdued in comparison to many other countries. Most of the politics were matters of finance, guild takeovers, and the acquisition of more resources to outdo competition. Securing foreign alliances with other nobles from the other Free Cities was a mark of prestige and brought renown both to the family that succeeded in doing so and to the city as a whole.

Rare were the open disputes between families that poured out into the public with sword or sorcery. Often times the nobles and the city’s officials had more pressing things to concern themselves with, the threat of the Warrens was always real as was the need to explore it in order to harness its resources, of which there were many depending on which Deep one delved.

So to be faced with a killer who was trying to send a message to the Avialae of the city in such a violent way, it was concerning. Moreover, it lead Talon to believe one of a few possibilities.

Firstly, that this was a message sent by one of House Sumura’s less benevolent creditors with a personal vendetta against its patriarch. Secondly, that it was an assassination meant to unsettle the upper reaches of the nobility. Or thirdly, it had been performed by someone with a very specific agenda against Avialae in particular.

The third possibility, that one chilled Talon. There was only one being or rather a type of being, that he could think of with an agenda against the Avialae. If they were in Kalzasi, then there was much to fear indeed.

“Your theory holds merit. It is not yet clear what the full intent of this murder was. The message, at least in part, I think has been received. The question is, what comes next? Now that the killer has our attention, what are they going to do with it?” The thought that there would be more killings was uncomfortable. The city dealt with enough death as it was. The Warrens and the creatures in them, took lives often enough that the priesthood of Wraedan held a place of great prominence in the city.

“Someone who is attempting to get the attention of the most powerful families in the city either has a death wish or has the resources to hold their own against them. Does anyone come to mind for you?”

[Kotoru]

☵ 26th of Frost, Year 119, Age of Steel ☵

"Common Speech"
"Synskrit Speech"

☵ A brow was quirked at the last few statements of the Prince. Though Koto couldnt deny he too had the same thoughts. This was bold in and of itself, and was a clear declaration of malice against the Avialae of the city. He did, however, think it was much broader than just against the nobility, but what better way to get your point across than to use one as a message.

The viper shook his head when asked if he knew anyone that could fit that motive. "Sadly my lord I do not. My house is a minor one, and we don't tend to be involved with such matters unless the Dahshida instructs us too....." he began, looking up at the Sah'viirdost floating above his head. After a few moments, he nodded and turned his gaze to the Prince.

"Though I can say once my father catches wind of this we will be mobilized into finding the culprit. That does, however, mean a grim condition must be met." he finished, moving towards the corpse, making sure not to contaminate the crime scene. "If we are to catch this killer, we need to wait till they kill again. We also need to make sure all information is kept secure. We can't afford any leaks or else the killer will no doubt have an upper hand on us, knowing what we know."

Turning his gaze back to the Prince, his face shown a dark expression. "We don't have enough clues to go searching for a suspect, and that means we will need to wait till they kill again in order to build a profile and act accordingly. That means you will have to keep the nobility from losing their shit. If they panic and try to take things into their own hands, it could cause more trouble than its worth."

He hoped his words weren't too harsh, offering a bow to the royal prince, awaiting his response. ☵

[Talon]

“Your solution, Lord Kotoru, holds merit but is not the answer.” Talon regarded Kotoru curiously. He knelt and with a blank expression, touched the tips of his fingers to one of the jagged wounds on the dismembered corpse of the victim. Stirring his aether into motion, Talon concentrated on the trace of rage and anger that was left in the horrendous carving of the injuries. There was so much hate. He remained silent as he sifted through the lingering aura of what has transpired. Everything in the world left an imprint in the latent aether that permeated all things both living and unliving. Through the powers of Semblance, Talon was able to perceive an echo of what had transpired to a degree. He received nothing so distinct as a vision, it was more a sense of the emotions and perhaps some of the sensory information that touched upon the world.

It took some concentration. As the minutes ticked by, Talon received more than a few stares. At one point, one of the Sky Guard even stepped forward as though he were about to speak but Talon ignored him. He maintained his concentration until he finally managed to sift through all of the information that was irrelevant and useless to him. When he found it, it made the feathers of his wings stand on end. He felt goosebumps across his body. Beneath the hate, the rage and the terror that laced practically everything on a deeper level, there was an insidious joy. There was a delight in the malice that was about to be visited but there was also a sense of indignation, an anger that was pointed and clear. About what? That information was not clear to Talon nor was it within the power of Semblance to discern a person’s thoughts, only the emotions and sensory information behind and around their actions.

But Talon had what he needed. He had an impression of the killer’s aura and once he had that, he would recognize it. Pulling his hand back, Talon stood on his feet. He felt a little drained from his concentration but not as much as he normally would have been. He had been getting better at utilizing Semblance and he was grateful for that.

“My lord?” Talon turned to the Sky Guard officer standing nearby. He sighed.

“See to it that his family is informed. Sweep the area for any suspicious individuals. We must act quickly before whoever is behind this strikes again.” Talon motioned to Kotoru indicating the nobleman should follow him. When the two of them had walked a small distance away from the scene, Talon spoke softly so that only Kotoru could hear him.

“It is within my power to track the killer but if they are able to take down a fully trained Sky Guard, it is unwise for me to track them on my own. Nor is it wise to involve a full battalion of the guard. We do not want to spook them into hiding. I have an idea.” Talon lead them away from the main road and in the direction of the Low-City.

“This killer will want to strike again. From what I could sense, they have an unbridled hatred toward my kind. They want to make a statement. What bigger statement is there to be made than the killing of the Shokaze’s firstborn son?” Talon came to a stop and stared Kotoru in the eyes. He waited for the Hattori to pick up on what his plan was.

[Kotoru]

☵ 26th of Frost, Year 119, Age of Steel ☵

"Common Speech"
"Synskrit Speech"

☵ He could only nod to the words of the prince as he acknowledged his plan, but ultimately not the best course of action. As much as he thought it was the best course of action, who was he to argue with the prince of Kalzasi. Then the prince seemed to space out once again.

No..it was more like concentration the more he observed. As he watched, the Sah'viirdost he summoned seemed to become active, flashing colors of red and orange within itself. Though it did not speak Koto could understand the emotion it was conveying to him. He found himself feeling a heavy veil of anger fall over him.

It was thick and overbearing and heavy, it wasn't normal, for something or someone to harbor so much hate in their soul. He understood however what this meant, and with a smile and simple gesture, he bid the Sah'viirdost back to the Otherworld. Contemplating what he just learned, he had come to the conclusion that these murders would have to end, and quickly.

The hard part was figuring out how to go about it, especially with his plan being shot down. Amidst his thinking, the prince seemed to have come out of the trance he was in and ordered his family to be informed of what had transpired here. Then to Kotoru's surprise, he called for him to follow.

Out of the ear reach of others, the prince proposed his plan. The Viper could only raise a brow in astonishment. The Prince of Kalzasi was offering himself up as bait to the killer. But there was a glaring issue with that plan. It could work, certainly drawing out the killer from its hiding, but it could also backfire.

"You'll have to forgive my bluntness my lord, but as I see the importance of what you are proposing, I don't beleive our killer is that stupid. How convenient would it be to them to find the heir of the throne all alone for the taking? Using yourself as bait, had you not been born into nobility, would most definitely work." he explained, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.

"But take into consideration the fact this was no ordinary victim. Of all the Avialae in the Skyguard, our late noble was picked out. I believe they will see it as a trap. In my line of work, one must think like that in which we are hunting. To catch this killer we must think like them." sighing as she finished.

Bowing he waited to hear his lord's response. "Granted, whatever it is you decide to do about this situation, I will follow no matter what." ☵

[Talon]

Kotoru had a point. It was a very valid point but Talon didn’t see much of an alternative. Whatever the intention of the murderer, there was no doubt in Talon’s mind that the culprit would strike again. That concerned him gravely. But they had so little to go off of, it may just be that they would have to let things escalate further in order to flush out the killer. He hated the idea of such a brutal killer out there among the streets but there was another side to this whole situation.Talon glanced around the street. There were people staring at the gathering of guards and officials, of the people milling about in general trying to get a glance at what was going on. Not everyone whose gaze he met looked pleased to see him or the guard present. Not everyone looked displeased either. There was a divide between the people at the bottom rungs of Kalzasern society and those at the top.

The fact that Talon himself was there to take a look at the scene perhaps only highlighted the fact that the upper echelons of society only cared to look deeper when it affected them. Talon sighed. He brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he sifted through his thoughts. There was more to this. There was something missing. He just couldn’t place it at that moment. They needed more information and without some thread of connection, they were flailing around in the dark.

“We need to pay a visit to the guard garrison. Perhaps take a look at the patrol roster. Maybe speak with any close associates of Tetsu? They might be able to lend a bit more insight into the matter. If nothing else, it might give us a new perspective on the matter. Failing that, a visit to House Sumura may be in order.” Talon was about to head off in the direction of the garrison, which was a fair distance away from where they were currently located when he remembered something. He paused and looked at Kotoru.

“Would you prefer to walk or to fly?” Talon gauged the Hattori nobleman’s size and gathered it wouldn’t be at all difficult for him to carry the man. Either with his own two arms or with his kinetics, he was more than up for the task. The Novalys heir extended his wings, flexing them.

“Of course, it is entirely up to you, Lord Kotoru. Forgive me for making assumptions but if you have other engagements you must deal with, your are of course under no obligation to continue.” Talon awaited Kotoru’s decision patiently.