[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/QLcqYBY.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/HEHbZjU.png[/img][hr][hr][b][colour=FF3131]Event:[/colour][/b] Castle Mandelein [b]|[/b] [b][colour=FF3131]Location:[/colour][/b] Mandelein, Kerremand[hr][hr][/center]

Ashon and Qasem, the unlikely duo, embarked on their investigation of the crime scene and the witness Laura. The others split up into groups, with Mancroft, and the Ladies going with Viktor after the creature into the forest, and the Countess Dorothea leading a delegation with Sister Laska to the Graf’s castle. With them out of the picture, it was left to them to investigate the scene, with the Yasoi imparting words of wisdom to the other. [colour=FF3131]“Presume nothing.”[/colour] 

With his gravitational magic, Ashon managed to stop the water droplets from falling over the crime scene as they pooled together into one big droplet. He improvised a makeshift tent with four long sticks and a sheet to keep the area as dry as possible while he examined it, casting the excess water to the side. Giving an explanation of the pointer to his colleague, [colour=FF3131]“It is a mistake to presume, because one would start to twist the facts to fit the story. Rather, create a story based upon the facts.”[/colour] 

As Ashon delved deeper into his investigation, he faced significant challenges due to the footprints that had contaminated the crime scene. Despite this, Ashon persevered and searched every nook and cranny to uncover whatever evidence he could. He meticulously scanned the crime scene, searching for any evidence that may have been overlooked. [colour=FF3131]“The world is full of obvious things which are overlooked.”[/colour] As he looked closer, he realized that there was very little to work with on face value. The gunpowder had been washed away by the rain, leaving no traces of any gunshots or bullets. All that remained was a small puddle of blood, along with a few torn pieces of clothing. There were no signs of skin or organs, and it seemed as if the culprit had cleaned up after themselves.

However, upon closer inspection, Ashon noticed a shallow crater near where the blood had been splattered. It seemed as if something had exploded or been hit with great force. Additionally, there were some bent and broken tree branches nearby, trace amounts of blood, indicating that whatever had come through there came in a different direction. [colour=FF3131]“The more outré and grotesque… we need to examine the ever more carefully.”[/colour] Ashon gestured to his companion to take a closer look at the blood.

Qasem remained silent while Ashon began speaking.  After taking note of who had come from the town to help, he seemed to ignore them completely.  His focus instead lay with the half washed away crime scene. The blood that remained was highly diluted, but present enough to be drawn into his blade when placed in the ground.  Qasem grasped the hilt and sent his own into the object to investigate.  

[colour=DDA0DD]"It’s all from one human"[/colour] He called out to Ashon from his crouched position in the mud.  [colour=DDA0DD]"Some manas left it in, but they're dying fast, couldn't tell you how much."[/colour]

Ashon furrowed his brow, deep in thought, as he considered the details of the crime. He replayed the events in his mind, trying to piece together what had happened. He picked up the shotgun, turning it over in his hands as he examined Laura's Hermann 12, he aimed the gun away and fired it. Deducting that it had been fired twice, there was evidence of a third shot that had been fired from a different, heavier gun. [colour=FF3131]“There was definitely a third shot, from a different weapon. We need to find out who fired it.”[/colour] 

Qasem stood as his partner spoke, his eyes turning to Laura and the evasive Leonhardt.  [colour=DDA0DD]"The guardsmen carry heavy weapons. Koppelman 49, Manfred called them. Could have been the girl fighting back."[/colour] He beckoned Ashon closer as he himself approached the remaining guardsman.  [colour=FF3131]“I wouldn’t be so hasty to come to that judgement.”[/colour] as he indicated toward the pool of blood.

Qasem furrowed his brow as he moved to demonstrate his skill as he approached Laura, [colour=DDA0DD]"I apologize, but we don't have time for typical formalities.  Ashon, if you could please translate."[/colour]  In one sudden move he reached down and gently grasped Laura's hand.  Instinctively, the girl stiffened and began to pull back, but Qasem's grip tightened under the resistance. Ashon offered a translation for the girl, his own curiosity peaked as well as he watched his colleague in action.

[colour=DDA0DD]"I'm not going to hurt you,"[/colour]  He explained to her, despite knowing she couldn't understand his words. [colour=DDA0DD]"Only ask a few questions."[/colour]

Only once she relaxed again did Qasem continue, again sliding his few manas into Laura's bloodstream to monitor her vitals as she spoke.

[colour=DDA0DD]"Please tell us what happened tonight."[/colour]

Laura fidgeted, but she reluctantly started to recount the events of the evening. [colour=E06CD7]“It was the middle of the night when I heard frantic knocking at my door. I answered it with my rifle in hand and saw Anna, who was drenched and had torn clothes. She seemed panicked and desperate, saying that something was coming after her. I tried to reassure her, but she suddenly burst into a fit of fear and claimed that something was coming inside the window. I pointed my gun at the window but found nothing. Then, she unlocked the front door and ran off.”[/colour]

Her speech grew quieter as she began to hesitate, though pushing through to recount the events. [colour=E06CD7]“I pursued her and found her in a field of one of the farms. She was crying and saying that it won't stop. Suddenly, we heard a loud noise nearby, and I aimed my gun towards it. Then, I heard the most horrific, blood-curdling scream I had ever heard, and before I could turn around, there were gruesome goring sounds… and then… I shot at it.”[/colour]

The girl was honest at least, even if the high stress of the situation make a clear reading difficult. [colour=DDA0DD]"But what did you [i]see[/i]"[/colour]  He pressed.  Laura stared back at him, then to her captain. 


[colour=E06CD7]“I'm not... I don't know.”[/colour] He waited, but there were no signs of deception. Qasem nodded to her and smiled thankfully, but inside a small knot of worry tightened further.  

[colour=DDA0DD]“The shot you took then.  Was it the first one fired? Did you hit anything?”[/colour]

Laura shifted uncomfortably, fidgeting with her hands. [colour=E06CD7]“Yes, I took the first shot, but I didn't see if I hit anything.”[/colour]

[colour=DDA0DD]“Have there been any notable difference in Anna’s behaviour recently”[/colour]

Laura takes a deep breath and begins to speak, [colour=E06CD7]“Well, she's been acting very strange recently. She's always been anxious, but she started acting paranoid tonight, constantly looking over her shoulder and jumping at every little sound. If it wasn’t for the marks on her, I would have thought she was losing her mind. In the end…”[/colour]

[colour=DDA0DD]“Do you know where Anna takes most of her meals?”[/colour]

Laura thought for a moment before answering. [colour=E06CD7]“Well, she usually eats with the rest of us at work. Sometimes she cooks for herself at home”[/colour]

[colour=DDA0DD]“Where do the Mandelein guards get their weapons from?”[/colour]

Laura found it simple to answer such questions, but confused as to why it would be asked, but was straightforward and concise. [colour=E06CD7]“We store and retrieve the weapons from the barracks. They are well maintained, but they are old, some are even older than myself.”[/colour]

[colour=DDA0DD]"Thank you, Laura."[/colour]  He looked at Leohardt staring daggers at him and bowed his head respectfully before withdrawing his hand and standing again.

Ashon pondered as he asked a further couple of questions. [colour=FF3131]“The third shot, was that Viktor who chased the Beast away?”[/colour]

[colour=E06CD7]“I think so.”[/colour] Her voice was hesitant, as if she wasn't entirely sure.

He nodded with a smile, as he asked the final one, as he tilted his head to the side. [colour=FF3131]“Where was Anna when you were being attacked?”[/colour]

Laura quickly replied, [colour=E06CD7]“I don't know”[/colour] but Qasem, being a truthseeker, noticed a change in her heart rate. It seemed as though Laura may have been withholding information

[colour=DDA0DD]“We'll have better luck getting answers from elsewhere.”[/colour]  He finally said to Ashon.  [colour=DDA0DD]“We'll interview the captain tomorrow after he's cooled off, while we’re here we should see if the locals saw anything.”[/colour] Ashon simply nodded and gave a smile, as he waved off Laura in a friendly manner, already getting the answer he needed.

As Ashon and Qasem made their way through the farm, they noticed the eerie silence that surrounded them, as if it was devoid of life. There were hardly any animals in sight, except for a few puff chickens that were kept in well-protected coops. The farm house itself was simple, made of timber with a thatched roof, the windows are small and few, as the shutters are firmly shut to keep out the cold, and perhaps more. On the small porch at the front, the family were gathered nearby as they approached. They spoke amongst each other in a thickly accented variant of Kerreman, which made it hard for even Ashon to understand.

Hans stopped his work to stand up straight as he peered over at the approaching strangers,his eyes squinted to see them more clearly in the distance. As they got closer, he approached them with caution, as he called out. [colour=yellow]“Guten tag, strangers. What brings you to our farm?”[/colour]

[colour=DDA0DD]"We've come to investigate a recent beast attack[/colour] Qasem replied to the man honestly, though it would be up to Ashon to translate the words for him.

When they began to ask him about the recent events, Han’s gave a curt and dismissive nod. [colour=yellow]“I have too much work to do to waste my time on these matters”[/colour] he said, his tone clipped and unfriendly. [colour=yellow]“I suggest you go speak to someone else who has more time to spare.”[/colour] Despite Ashon and Qasem’s attempts to engage him, he remained stubbornly uninterested in discussing anything other than the work at hand. He went about his business, ignoring the outsiders as they continued to ask their questions.

The farmer’s wife, Anna, had returned from going inside the house. As she offered them some simple refreshment, some water and what appeared to bite sized pieces of honey cake. [colour=orange]“Please, you must both be hungry. We have very little, we are happy to share what we have, then you can return to the village.”[/colour] Her voice is polite and cordial, but likewise reserved.

[colour=DDA0DD]"Thank you,"[/colour]  Qasem smiled warmly to the farmer's wife.  He took one of the small squares of cake but made no move to bring it to his mouth. [colour=DDA0DD]"Not all would be so welcoming in trying times."[/colour] he indicated toward the state of the farm.

Samuel would initially be hesitant to speak and would glance over at his father for approval. Hans would give him a stern look, prompting Samuel to respond. [colour=green]“We used to have many cows and even Pigeons we bred for messages,”[/colour] he would say. [colour=green]“But they're gone now.”[/colour] He would then fall silent and look back at his father, who would call him over to stop shirking and get back to work.

Ashon smiled toward Gertrude, as she stood by the porch, [colour=FF3131]“Know anything about the rumoured beast?”[/colour]

Gertrude was receptive as she replied. [colour=blue]“My Mother used to tell us a bedtime story about the beast when we grew up. She often used to say, ‘If you don't finish your chores or behave, the beast will come and take you away!’”[/colour] A faint smile appeared as if recalling such a time, though faded now. [colour=blue]“Though, it was seen as more of a story to scare naughty children when I was younger, though something changed recently. Something dark must have happened to wake it up, even my parents are scared.”[/colour]

[colour=DDA0DD]“How recent was this?”[/colour] Qasem questioned, after getting the gist of the conversation from Ashon.

[colour=blue]“It turned up along the same time as that new monk did, I think his name was Brother Baudile.”[/colour] Anna, interrupted her, her voice is firm yet gentle, [colour=orange]“That's enough gossiping for now, Gertrude. It's time for you to tend to your chores.”[/colour] Gertrude rolled her eyes and grumbled as she gets up away from the bannister, clearly annoyed at being interrupted. Anna gives her a stern look before turning her attention back to Ashon and Qasem, apologizing for her daughter's behaviour. [colour=orange]“We don’t get much company, she does like to talk. Don’t let us keep you held here any longer.”[/colour]

The youngest daughter, Fiona, sat quietly in the corner and fidgeted with her dress and avoided eye contact with the strangers. Ashon and Qasem can see that she is clearly scared and hesitant to speak.

[colour=DDA0DD]"We have no other plans,"[/colour] Qasem replied casually, flashing a wide smile of brilliant teeth.  [colour=DDA0DD]"But we would never impose.  Let your children rest a while and allow me to attend to their chores. I'm sure there is something I can help with."[/colour]

Qasem provided the distraction as he approached the mother, as Ashon approached Fiona slowly and crouched down to her level, speaking softly and reassuringly toward her. [colour=FF3131]“Hello there”[/colour] the big, goofy looking Yasoi smiled widely toward her. [colour=FF3131]“We won't hurt you, we promise. We are here to protect people.”[/colour] He flexed his arm as he displayed his muscles in a comical but strong looking manner. He offered her the piece of honey cake he received toward her in a low and soothing manner. [colour=FF3131]“I just want to ask you a few questions about what happened this evening. Do you think you could tell us what you saw?”[/colour]

Eventually, with a little coaxing, Fiona began to speak in a soft voice, sharing what she knew. [colour=cyan]“I didn’t see anything. It was too dark and scary out there. There were loud bangs.”[/colour]

Ashon nodded in a reassuring manner. [colour=FF3131]“Yes, there were bangs, they chased it away.”[/colour] He paused as he considered what to ask the little girl. [colour=FF3131]“The farm seems rather empty, where did all the animals go?”[/colour]

Fiona spoke in a timid voice, barely above a whisper, her eyes darting nervously. [colour=cyan]“The animals were eaten.”[/colour] she said. [colour=cyan]“It happened all at once after Caldores.”[/colour] Her small hands fidgeted in her lap, and she bit her lip anxiously.

He listened to her attentive as he offered her a reassuring smile. [colour=FF3131]“You are brave. Did you manage to see who did it and what they looked like?”[/colour]

Her voice conveyed a sense of fear and trauma with its hesitation. [colour=cyan]“They were beasts. They looked like big and angry animals… when I saw them, I hide in the closet.”[/colour]

[colour=FF3131]“The Beast of Mandelein. Your sister mentioned a tale about this?”[/colour] Fiona recalled the popular children's story told in Mandelein about the beast that protects the village. According to the tale, long ago, when the Castle was under constant attack by bad people, the Lord of the castle made a deal with a great beast that lived in the nearby forest to protect the village. The beast agreed to the deal, and since then, Mandelein has been protected from any harm. However, the beast can get hungry at times and may take a bite off a villager who is not careful or a very naughty child who doesn't listen to their parents.

Ashon was about to go, when a thought struck him. [colour=FF3131]“The Beasts… where did they come from?”[/colour] The little girl hesitated at first, peeking, looked around as if checking her surroundings, and then answered in a low voice, [colour=cyan]“Here.”[/colour] He looked toward her in confusion, then pointed downward to signify the farm.

Anna's face suddenly twisted into anger as saw Fiona looking so troubled talking to the Yasoi.  She turned to Fiona and ordered her to go back to her room. [colour=orange]“Enough! You're making my daughter uncomfortable. She's just a child. Leave now and don't come back.”[/colour] With that, she pushed Ashon towards the door and gestured to Qasem to follow. Her voice was sharp and her movements aggressive as she made it clear they were not welcome any more.

As they made their way outside, Ashon turned to Qasem. [colour=FF3131]“Once you use the facts to eliminate the impossible. Whatever is left, no matter how strange, must be the truth.”[/colour] His expression appeared dark as they returned to the village to reunite with the others.

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