“It’s over!” the guard shouted, people were fleeing in every direction, what was left of the ivory tower was scorched and shattered. There came another mighty blow causing the entire facility to sway. Stained glass windows shuddered from the impact, and three spires of the structure swayed as though ready to fall like house of cards. There came another blow, and dead bodies were scattered and tossed like the flotsam of the impact. Faich Meagher frantically looked back on his fine house, it was on fire.
“There’s nothing we can do!” the guard screamed again, almost pleading his master. Faich was in such shock that his very limbs could not move. His friends, his family, those he trusted were scattered dead around him.
“It’s hopeless!” the guard shouted breaking down into tears. That is when the creature emerged, standing sixteen feet tall and features between a bear and a bulldog, it billowed with the boiling oil, flaming arrows, and broken weaponry. Fast as the wind, strong as an earthquake, it charged Faich. It was the very embodiment of his fears. With one bite his arm was gone, and it turned to snap at his face.
Marquis Faich Meagher awoke with a start. The haunting of his nightmares and the frequency of them had destroyed his night, and haunted the hours he lay awake chasing away the ghosts of his dreams. Ever since the latest news of the palace, he had investigations and soldiers activated in order to assist with the investigation. But really the tyrant having another attempt on his life was not very disturbing. If nothing, it was about time to see some change at the top.
This time, however, when he awoke, he found a dull roar in the darkness of the night. The house guard were hurrying around and he could hear footfalls and doors in a hushed but eager tone. He stood from his bed, leaving his wife to rustle and roll over, and he promptly donned a fine robe.
“What is the commotion?” he addressed the guard outside the door.
“A team of investigators have arrived, Excellency, they are less than civil in their intrusion. It is a contingent of one hundred as well as some notable ranks.”
“Since when has civility been but a front,” Faich snatched a wand and tucked it up his sleeve, and then snatched his staff, making sure to dawn his signet before departing the room. “We shall meet them in the great hall... awaken the entirety of the house guard but keep it quiet. Something is suspicious here.”
He walked briskly down his own halls, his robe billowing about him. Normally it would be a sign of catching him off guard, but he was a Maji himself, and there was no such thing as being off-guard when they were involved. He entered his great hall, adorned with tapestries and pillars, followed by his armed soldiers and men at-arms. A number of his knights hurried into the room, shifting their black surcoats from rapid preparation. There was plenty enough might in this room to stem any sort of foolishness from some simple guests. He called for boots from his servants, and made himself comfortable. Soon, entered the lead contingent. Arguing could be heard long before they ever entered the room, and finally there marched in a number of knights with enameled armor, a few with blued, and a number of mages. A number of the Maji were part of the Meagher house.
“Why have you disturbed my house?” the Marquis demanded. It was more than a simple question, it was a voicing of his displeasure. He outclassed everyone in the room, only the duke stood higher than he. Even then, the duke would have been reserved since the Meagher’s outnumbered his own house in both men-at-arms as well as potency in magic.
“Excellency, we do not mean to bother you. Forgive our disturbance, it does not concern you. We shall be on our way.” One of the Maji excused.
“Something of extreme importance has come to you as well as the investigation, I will be the judge of whether or not it concerns me.”
“I hesitate to even propose the absurd thought, Excellency, for we most assuredly have encountered a misdirection created by those who oppose the state.”
Faich’s heart jumped in his chest. Did they know his connection to the rebellion? Most assuredly not, he had been very careful. Almost everyone involved with him were double blind. Years of practice subdued his hesitation and buried it under a practiced mask that did not even hint of seeping through. This was about the failed assassination attempt, not the rebellion. Being one of the leaders, the others would definitely have informed him of any sort of link. No, it was a rogue element that neither the king nor the rebellion could control. “You hold your tongue as though you fear it might run away from you. Am I to understand that there has been some sort of development that might stain the flawless reputation of this great house?”
Immediately the two Meagher maji shook their heads and distanced themselves by stepping back. The others frantically looked to each other, holding back terror. Of the remainder one by one they backed away denying any sort of challenge to their superior's reputation. However, there stood the King’s men still, soldiers, knights that also held office as vassals. Finally one approached.
“We have found your house’s protection from scrying to have been used by the culprit in order to mislead the investigation, excellency.” the knight bowed trying to be as delicate as possible.
“Ah...” Faich rose. This was indeed a problem. Since the time had passed, the criminal could no longer be scryed since the rising of the moon. In addition, his protection did not extend beyond the walls of their great house. That meant that the criminal somehow made it inside, which either meant that his guard was inept at detecting disloyalty or intruders (which was totally unacceptable in a tyranny), or (from the outside) he was involved. “... some of my Maji are remarkably overzealous in their efforts to keep prying eyes away. I am certain that must be the hindrance. Let it be known, we have never fostered the thought of unlawfulness or disloyalty of any sort. You can be sure that any form of incompetence will be punished unto death. Though, I assure you that you will not find any. I must insist, however, that the eyes of Meagher will be the only to pry into the affairs of the house.”
It was a great cover, intrusive and abusive guards in a system that promotes it. Surely once in a while the different divisions would get in each other’s way. But not the King’s way. It did not matter the confusion or reason for failure. You could square off against the most diabolical mind the world had ever known, but if you came in second best it was unacceptable. This was buying time at best. Perhaps the dictator was in a good mood, perhaps the assassination attempt was exaggerated and there simply needed some good PR. At any rate, the Marquis had offered a scapegoat, sure some random Maji or soldiers might be rounded up and killed in order to take the blame, but with the stakes so high he could expect to find volunteers.
“And what, exactly, excellency, do you expect us to do with this dead-end?”
“I do not know how you overcome challenges as a champion by sword or lance, but we in the magical community utilize the carnal practices of ‘looking’ and ‘asking’ when our expertise fails us. I advise you adopt it as well, lest you be deemed negligent in your duties,” the Marquis was now locked in. He was taking a massive gamble that one of his house was not secretly involved with this. It would take immediate and careful action to create a cover-up and/or to locate the assassin. He would have much rather sat back and watched the fool be uprooted and give his associates in the rebellion time catch their breath, but now it seemed that things were far more complicated.
The group of investigators excused themselves and departed. There was much debate but little to do since the path lead them straight to the front gate of the house. It wasn’t exactly like they could ask if someone simply walked by the fortification, nor was it something that could be brushed off as an access door or traitorous servant was involved. There WAS no one to ask and there WAS nowhere to look other than the now forbidden ground.