Marianne and Duke rode along the road at a wild gallop.
Ascendary, still invisible, flew above them.
After a seemingly endless time, they slowed down to spare the exhausted horses.
They stopped at a lake and let the horses drink from the water.
"I should have known," Duke said angrily.
Marianne looked at him questioningly.
"That the Inquisiton is also after the document. You can't ignore the DENERIAS INCIDENT," he sighed.
"What happened there?" Marianne Duke asked directly. "WHAT?"
Duke dodged and looked at the scroll container.
"Now tell me..." Marianne slowly grew angry, because she was a running target because of the scroll.
"Yes, have a look. Who do we have here?" comes a voice from behind. "Today is our lucky day."
Marianne and Duke turned around and were confronted with 5 figures. With drawn weapons.
Highwayman.
"Give us everything you have, then maybe we'll leave you with your life," laughed the one inthe middle, who seemed to be the leader.
The others laughed along.
Duke grabbed the sword, but Marianne's hand stopped him.
"THEY are MINE!" she said in a hard voice.
"Very well." Duke took a step back and gestured with his hand to let her go first.
The bandits all looked at each other in confusion and then began to laugh as Marianne stood up in front of them.
"How cute," the leader laughed as Marianne stood in front of him without weapons.
Suddenly, she swung her hand and a blade came out of her sleeve and penetrated the leader's thigh.
The latter screamed in pain and falling back, holding his thigh.
The other bandits were completely surprised. Marianne whirled around in an almost ballerina-like turn and another blade was already coming out of the other sleeves.
While she was spinning around, she got down on one knee and rammed both blades into the thighs of the left 2 bandits, who also screamed in pain and staggered back.
Now the other two reacted and attacked with their axes.
Marianne ducked under the first blow and spun around the bandit, ramming the left blade into his thigh from behind. With the second blade she parried the second axe blow. In the process, another blade came out of her left shoe, which she sank into the thigh of the last bandit.
Marianne turned elegantly away from the bandits, who were all lying on the ground, whimpering and wailing with injured thighs.
"Duke clapped. " I've never seen an Aranasera in action, that was impressive."
"She's an Aranasera?" wailed the leader of the bandits. "If we had known that...."
"... it would have made no difference, you would have made more robberies. Someone had to stop you." Marianne wiped the blood from the blades and the blades all returned to their original positions.
"The horses are watered, let's keep riding," Duke said.
Marianne nodded and sat up.
"And you! You look for honest work, otherwise I will come back and then my blades will no longer go into the thigh, but higher, significantly higher. Did we understand each other?"
"Yes.... yes.... YES!" stammered the bandits in confusion.
Duke smiled and they rode on.
The invisible Ascendary also rose again. He had been ready to intervene, but Marianne didn't need any help.
*
"THE librarian of the empire?" Beredion still had wide eyes. "But what are you doing HERE in our humble little village."
"Getting on my nerves!" Cecile hissed and looked at him angrily.
"Dearest Cecile, I know you don't like me, but I also go on vacation sometimes. The fact that you had to go here is not my fault. I'm here to relax and find out about the legend of the dragons. That's all." He spread his arms.
Dexter intervened. "Enough, we're just losing time here."
At that moment, a raven landed on Dexter's shoulders and made croaking sounds.
"They were here and are heading north with horses. Back to the ship, let's follow them!"
Cecile looked at Dexter in surprise and looked at the raven.
He seemed to smile at her amusedly, as far as you can tell from his beak.
"Very well," she said and opened a portal.
"Until then, Lysander." She walked through it.
"Excuse me, Master Lysander, but that's just the way she is." Dexter nodded his head and walked through the gate with the raven on his shoulder.
"No worries, Inquestor." Lysander looked after him.
When the portal disappeared, he looked at Beredion. "The Inquestor never ceases to surprise me. An animal as an assistant."
Beredion nodded. "And now?"
"Now the hunt for the Arnasera is on." Lysander looked serious.
The small bedroom that Beredion had placed at her disposal for the night seemed to be intended for children or dwarfs, especially since she couldn't stand completely upright without bumping her head, not to mention the small beds, but since she always curled up in her sleep she had no problem with it.
In the next room, Duke got up and went to the window. He was a little worried about Ascendary, but the Gryphon had learned all these years to behave inconspicuously. Nevertheless, this environment is more inhabited than where they lived and a Gryphon would of course quickly attract attention.
Duke put on his clothes and left his bedroom, which was visibly larger than Marianne's.
Beredion was nowhere to be seen, and Duke left the house and went into the woods.
After a few meters he stopped and waited a moment.
Ascendary came out from behind a bush and nudged him gently.
"Good boy." Duke stroked Ascendary's plumage.
Suddenly, Ascendary raised his head and went into attacking position. Duke spun around.
"A Gryphon. It's been a long time since I've seen one." The Librarian Lysander leaned against a tree and looked at both of them with a neutral look.
Duke was surprised, because he had looked around several times and secured himself before he went further into the forest.
He was sure that no one had been around.
How did the Librarian that?
"Very gently, I don't have anything bad in Mind. On the contrary, I am of the opinion that they had been threated wrong.
Lysander raised both hands as a sign that he had no evil intentions.
"Where do you come from so suddenly? How could you sneak up?" Duke had his hand on the hilt of his Sword.
"Well, I'm known for my silence. At least my Library assistants are still frightened when I suddenly stand next to them. But I have to warn you." Lysander lowered his hands.
"Warn?" Duke gripped the hilt of the Sword more tightly.
"The INQUEST is on its way here and I think you know what that means, my friends."
"Dexter Demerodt! But why is he on his way here? Have you betrayed us?"
"No. I have my sources. Instead of talking and wasting even more time, you should get on your way. And that quickly."
"Thank you.... even if I don't know what role you play here, Librarian."
"Take this. You should know that." Lysander held out a rune-decorated ampoule to Duke.
Duke recognized her. "Are you also an Alchemist?" Invisibility serum. Ideal for Ascendary.
"No, no. Sometimes I want to have my peace. My job is more strenuous than you think." Lysander grinned.
Marianne came running up.
"Here you are. A flying ship has appeared to the north."
Duke looked at Lysander and Lysander gave him a "I told you so." look.
Then Duke took the ampoule, let some liquid drip onto his hand and held it out to Ascendary.
The Gryphon hesitated at first and then nodded. He absorbed the liquid and slowly disappeared before her eyes.
Marianne's eyes were wide. "Where.. where did he go?"
"Invisible. And now quickly to Beredion. We need horses." Duke put the ampoule away.
"No need to." said Lysander. "Go to the stables. There are 2 saddled Horses ready. I was so free to negotiate this with Beredion. Take them. They are paid."
"But how ... how?" Duke looked at Lysander suspiciously.
"Don't ask questions, but leave. The INQUEST is approaching." Lysander pointed in the direction of the Mourning Village.
Duke nodded and took Marianne's hand and pulled her with him.
Lysander clasped his hands behind his back and seemed satisfied.
Then he was gently nudged.
To outsiders, it looked as if he was stroking the air as he scratched the invisible Ascendary on the head.
"You're welcome, and now get going, my feathered friend," said Lysander.
Meanwhile they reached the stables and Lysander had not lied. Beredion stood by the horses and held out their knapsacks to Marianne and Duke.
"The Librarian said you were in a hurry, here are your belongings. The horses are paid. Have a good trip." smiled Beredion.
"Thank you." Duke was still confused, but they ran out of time.
Both sat up and said goodbye to Beredion. Then they rode off in a hurry.
Only 30 minutes later, the huge shadow of the INQUEST fell over Mourning Village.
Dexter Demerodt and Cecile entered the small town.
"Welcome, Inquestor. Your reputation precedes you. What does the honor give me?" Beredion greeted both of them.
Dexter bowed slightly in greeting.
"Thank you for the friendly welcome. We are looking for someone." And he described Marianne.
"Hmmm. To my regret, I can't help you. Mourning Home rarely has visitors," replied Beredion.
"You are lying!" said Cecile in a cold voice.
"Cecile, still as friendly as ever," someone else said.
"Lysander... You here?" Cecile's voice had an angry undertone.
"Inquestor. Have the honor." Lysander nodded to Dexter.
"Lysander. What an unusual place to meet you here," Dexter said.
"And here, of all places, where the trail of the Aranasera leads us. What a coincidence." Cecile said with a smug undertone.
Dexter looked at Lysander suspiciously as well.
"What are you doing here. Especially with your reputation."
Beredion was confused. "What reputation? He's a Librarian."
Dexter turned to Beredion.
"You don't know? Lysander is not just any Librarian. He is THE chief Librarian of the Kingdom and guards the greatest knowledge of our Empire."
Beredion looked at Lysander with wide eyes.
"Well, what can i say?" Lysander spread his arms with a smile.
"Lysander, you have visitors?" smiles an elderly Man on the outskirts of the Village of Mourning Village.
"Beredion, you see right, but it is not my visit. It's your visit." Lysander laid the hand on his shoulder.
"Oh, I see. Welcome, Strangers." Beredion spread out his Arms.
Marianne nodded friendly. "Thank you."
Duke nodded in greeting as well.
"What does your visit bring to our humble home of Mourning Village?" The old Man folded his hands together and looked at both of them questioningly.
"We are looking for 2 horses," Duke explained. "We have a long journey ahead of us."
"We do have horses, but how have you traveled so far? You can't come from this environment, otherwise I would know about you." Beredion looked at both of them less suspiciously, more curiously.
"Well, part of the way I was taken along, but now we have to go on alone and for that we need horses," Marianne replied quite quickly to spare Duke a lie, because as she knows, the Griffin Guard must never lie, that's the code. The Griffin Guard may be disbanded, but Duke still is. In addition, it wasn't even a lie of her, since the WINDRAIDER took her along a bit in a certain sense. Even if it will never fly again.
Duke looked surprised for a second, but then he nodded quickly.
"I understand, I understand. It soon begins to get dark. Be my guests and tomorrow morning you will get your horses at a reasonable price. Then you can leave refreshed. And no contradiction, I will not tolerate that in my hospitality." Beredion bowed and pointed to an inn called Tear of the Dragon.
Duke looked at Lysander and he indicated with his look that it would be better to follow Beredion.
Duke sighed and followed Beredion.
Marianne turned to Lysander with a smile and held out her hand to him. "Thank you for your kindness and your help."
"You´re welcome." And to her surprise, he didn't shake her hand, but gave her a
Kiss on the hand, which conjured up a slight embarrassment on her face. She nodded hastily and hurriedly following Duke.
>> Isn't it cute? << a voice sounded in Lysander's head.
"Indeed, but that's not why we're here."
>> How true, how true. It's a pity, actually. << regretted the voice in Lysander's head.
>> But tell me, did you notice? <<
"That she said SHE had been taken and both would then look for horses? Of course."
>> What does that tell you? <<
"That they didn't start the journey together, he came later and not only that."
>> What else? <<
"We know him."
>> Oh really? Help me out. <<
"His name is Duke Hawksire. He was in the Griffin Guard."
>> Let's grab him! The Griffin Guard is to blame for all of them! <<
" Everything in its own time. We still have something to do. Let's go." Lysander turned and walked away.
*
"SHIELD UP!" roared the Captain of the INQUEST.
3 Order Mages appeared on deck and immediately began to form a magical shield around the INQUEST.
Cecile stood at the railing and stared angrily in the direction of the red dragon.
"Cecile, back!" Dexter shouted and tried to pull her off the railing.
"The Shield protects us and I want to know why it's attacking us," Cecile said angrily.
The dragon spat fire, but it bounced off the Shield of the INQUEST.
Furious, the dragon tried to ram the ship, but crashed into the shield.
Nevertheless, the impact was so violent that a jolt went through the ship and everyone fell into confusion.
Also one of the magicians.
The shield begins to flicker. Directly above Cecile.
The dragon took his opportunity and breathed fire again.
Dexter snatched the great Shield from a fallen Knight.
Before the fire reached the surprised Cecile, he tore the Shield in front of her.
Not a second too soon. The fire split at the Shield.
At that moment, the mage had regained his composure and strengthened the Shield.
"I SAID BACK!" Dexter yelled angrily at Cecile.
She pushed him away.
"I can protect myself, watch out!"
Cecile turned around and began to move her hands.
Her fingers cut through the air like a knife through butter.
With each movement, it created light effects and formed a jagged sphere.
She raced through the Shield towards the dragon, which was hit directly in the neck.
He staggered in flight and grabbed it with his big claws.
He roared angrily while some parts of the scales fell to the ground.
Bleeding, he flew away staggering.
"You see!" She looked at Dexter challengingly.
"If that's the case, why did you want me to accompany you?" he looked at her harshly. I've known you long enough."
In response, she put her hands on his cheeks and pressed her lips on his.
Dexter wanted to push her away, but he couldn't.
Memories of a better time raced through his head.
Cecile broke away from him. "Because you belong to me! Me alone!"
"I don't belong to anyone." Dexter pushed her away.
"Yes, since the DENERIAS INCIDENT." Cecile smiled and ran her index finger under his chin.
Dexter clenched his fist angrily. This damn incident.
Marianne took a deep breath. The cool morning air did her a lot of good. They had left early in the morning and Duke was silent about the first destination. She had no choice but to follow him, because she didn't really know her way around this area.
"We will first go to the nearest village and buy horses there so that we can make faster progress. Ascendary remains hidden. Noboddy is allowed to know of his existence. If you betray Ascendary, it will be the last thing you do," Duke said after a while of walking. He wore street clothes. The golden gryphon armor lays in a chest in his house.
Marianne nodded. "I won't reveal the secret, don't worry. As a child, I loved griffins. I never understood why they were exterminated."
Duke didn't say anything and they walked on in the shelter of the forest. After a seemingly endless time of wordless walking for Marianne, they reached the edge of the forest.
At the edge of the forest was a small idyllic village.
"This is Mourning Village. That's where we'll find our horses," Duke said, pointing to the village.
"Mourning home? What a name." Marianne frowned.
"The reason is over there." Duke pointed to the right side of the village.
"Are they ....?" Marianne tried to recognize it,
"Yes, they are weeping willows," Duke confirmed Marianne's suspicion.
"And so many. I thought they were more solitary?" she wondered.
"In fact, they usually do, but here it's the result of a legend," someone behind them said.
Duke and Marianne immediately spun around, Duke pulling out a dagger and holding it to the figure's neck.
In front of them stood a man with black straight hair combed back. He wore black robes that seemed to have a little dark purple, like a barely perceptible gleam.
He held a book in his hands. Unimpressed and with a neutral face, he looked at Duke and Marianne.
"Who's going to get so nervous?" he asked.
"We don't appreciate sneaking up from behind unnoticed," Duke replied.
"Sneaking up? I beg you. Do i look like I'm capable of sneaking?" The stranger smiled for a short moment.
"What are you doing here then?" Duke lowered the dagger.
"Go for a walk. I'm a guest at Mourning Village and as you can see, I'm a librarian." The stranger lifted the book.
"A book doesn't make a librarian and besides, what does a librarian do in such a small and remote village as Mourning Village" Duke remained suspicious.
"Research," replied the stranger.
"What is researching?" asked Marianne, who had listened to this in silence until now.
"I'm researching the legend of Mourning Village." The stranger pointed to the weeping willows.
"What's the deal with the weeping willows?" She looked at him questioningly.
"According to legend, there was a fight between 2 dragons here. It is said to have taken place where the weeping willows stand. It is said that the surviving dragon then carried the dead dragon away and that the blood of the two, which was spilled during the fight, seeped into the ground and weeping willows grew from it. I'm trying to find out why the dragons fought there and who they were," the librarian said.
"That's just a legend," Duke said.
"Every legend contains a grain of truth," the stranger countered.
"My name is Marianne." She held out her hand to him.
"Lysander," the librarian replied kindly and shook her hand.
"Pleasant," Marianne nodded.
"Duke." Duke put the dagger away and held out his hand to Lysander.
"Also pleasant," said Lysander.
"But now we have to move on." Duke pointed to Mourning Village.
"Then I'll accompany you, because I was just on my way back from my walk." Lysander started moving.
Marianne and Duke followed him and so they went to the village together.
*
Dexter Demerodt sighed. Stood up at the railing of the INQUEST and looked into the distance. The flying ship, which resembled a galleon, flew over villages and fields.
"What are you thinking about, Dexter?" asked Cecile, joining him beside him. The wind played with her curly red hair.
"Why me?" He didn't look at her and continued to look into the distance.
"Because you're the best," Cecile smiled and stroked his cheek with her hand.
"Enough of hypocrisy." He grabbed her hand and pushed it away from him. "Why can only you find the document and why should I protect you? And from what?"
She rubbed her wrist gently and looked at him. "You really want to know?"
"Yes, I do. I don't intend to run into an open knife." Dexter's voice took on a harsh undertone.
"Very well." Cecile leaned on the railing with her forearms and closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the wind. "It is not the document that I can track, but the messenger."
Dexter looked at her. "How is that to be understood?"
"The messenger's name is Marianne and she is an Aranasera. I am able to track her down and where she is is the document. It's as simple as that." Cecile kept her eyes closed.
"And why me? With our shared past, another protector would have been logical." Dexter shook his head in disbelief.
Cecile opened her eyes, turned her head to him and looked at him seriously, "Because you are the best fighter in the order and because we both have a common past in which we have acted very well together."
"I don't want that past back!" said Dexter contemptuously.
"What you want and what you don't want, the order is not interested in. You have to protect and represent his interests. The order stands above our private interests." Cecile looked at him gravely.
Suddenly a jolt went through the ship.
"ATTACK! WE ARE BEING ATTACKED!" someone shouted.
Dexter and Cecile turned around. 1 large red dragon approached from the other side.
"With the orders! Why does the cretin attack us? The red dragons have a pact with our Order!" Cecile hissed angrily.
