After the devastation that I caused on the nearby trees, I finally dropped my staff down and heaved a heavy sigh, feeling slightly better. That annoying barman will not live for very long if he continues this sort of bullshit talk. Nodding to myself I decided to head back towards the edge of the town. Nate was going to come back sooner or later and we usually met back up where we split.

As I was waiting patiently I saw how the lights in the houses were either dimming out or were completely turned off. I didn't know what was going on in this town - not yet at least - but even by just seeing all those lights being put out it was quite obvious people there were afraid. They wanted to hide in the safeties of their homes in the complete darkness so nobody would hurt them.

As the area where I stood finally gotten pitch black, I looked up at the tree crown above my head. There was not a chance that Nate would be late, and just as I suspected a dark, huge shadow fell right in front of me.

As the shadow rose from the crouching position I asked in a whisper "You're done?"

Nate looked at the town which was cast in the darkness taking off his hood “Yeah, at least for today.”

“All right, I got us a room for a decent price. Except that and someone telling me to go to the elders. I got nothing.” It was better to avoid talking about the barman. Nate sighed probably frustrated that spying won't help us while I added “Typical. Everyone is scared of something but they don’t know what. Aaaand they refuse to talk to strangers.”

He nodded, muttering “Yeah…”

I looked at my brother. He was a much better spy than I was, so if he found nothing the only option was infiltrating the town. However, there was something else to the grim look on his face. “What is it?” I asked.

Nate shook his head “I just saw a child beaten to death.”

I grimaced, but said almost dismissively “But, isn’t it normal for you? Death is your second nature after all.” I hated doing it but Nate was never one to accept pity, and I was horrible at all the 'you will be alright' talk. So instead I would just make a snarky comment. Good thing that Nate and I were brothers, so those things never affected him.

Normally Nate would just tease me with something but this time his eyes were focused on the ground as he said: “Yeah, but he was beaten to death by his parents.”

I turned away from him, and with a bitter taste in my mouth, I mumbled “Sorry. I can imagine he would be on your mind.”

As expected Nate's eyes flash in a rage “Don’t even talk about that bastard. I broke the code of 'my kind' in the worst possible way. But, hell, I don’t regret it, so I don't want to hear about him.”

I nodded looking at my tensed up brother “To hell with the damn code, he didn’t deserve the title of ‘father’. So you did nothing wrong.” I reassured him in the best way I could, which gained me a small smile from him.

After we shared all the details that we noticed around the town we headed into the inn where I rented a room. As soon as we entered the small, campy room with two single beds we dropped our little bags onto our respective beds. Mine was always the one in the shadows in the corner of the room, while Nate always grabbed the one by the window since he sometimes sneaked out in the night. Then we both checked the room for any unwanted magic. Anything from poisonous gas to traps in the floor. It was quite common to leave them at inns, especially by wizards who were working for the innkeeper. It was like security from monsters or suspicious people. However, us two, could be considered those ‘suspicious people’ so it was safer to get rid of it if there were any.

After establishing room as clean I asked: “So what is the plan then?”

Nate sat down on his bed taking his eye patch off “Well, tomorrow we will go to the elders. But before then I think it would be better to ask the folk around here a bit more. I mean elders offer the job, not information.”

I nodded sitting down on the opposite bed, feeling how uncomfortable the mattress is “True. Are we going undercover?” He chuckled and after rolling my eyes I corrected myself “Am I going undercover?”

He smirked “No, if there is such a big problem in town I am pretty sure people hope to find someone who can help them. And who would be better than a travelling wizard?”

I shrugged nonchalantly “I guess, but you are coming with me in that case.” My brother tilted his head as I finished “If someone approaches us you talk to them.”

Nate grinned, amused “Of course,” he then stood up and stretched. He looked around the room saying “I will grab some food, then. We won't get anything done tonight anyway.” Once again he put his eyepatch and hood back on.

He was right about that and the fact we only had that hare all day. So food was always welcome. However knowing my brother as I did, I knew he was going to grab a drink while he was out. He always had those little excuses. So without talking I just watched him walk out of the room, closing the doors gently. Then realising there was another door to the room I decided to use the opportunity and have a bath. After all, it was not every time our rooms came in with a bathroom and that was a much better option to the one of washing myself in the river.

After refreshing myself it was already way into the night. Not seeing Nate around I went straight to bed, there was no point in staying up waiting for him, Nate would most likely return at dawn anyway. He did need to grab a drink at bars every now and then so I didn't like to rush him. I, on the other hand, was not that keen on alcohol, I would only drink when we would celebrate something which was a very rare occurrence, or if I had to blend in.

As I closed my eyes sleep swept my mind completely, and even when I rarely dreamed, that night a painful memory came back to me...

“No…” I shook from the sight of blood, my father’s blood. In front of me was my brother’s back. He was facing the - now - dead body and our mother who was shocked just as much as I was. Nate looked at the blood - shaking. Probably still not fully conscious of what has happened. Meanwhile, our mother’s shocked expression turned to rage I have never seen. Her beautiful, delicate face, which was always smiling kindly, turned dark and terrifying. She took the weapon from the lying dead man and slowly approached Nate and I. My brother stood still, his eyes wide open not sure how to react while mother was getting closer. In a fit of panic, I released my powers which generated from my sadness and shock. It created a wave of energy which swept past Nate and blew the woman - whose face was nothing like the one of my mother - away to the other end of the room. Breath was knocked out of her and she tried to gasp for air. She was quite the feeble being, with no special powers.

Nate snapped and shouted turning around “Aaron! We have to go! Now!” He pushed me towards the doors but I did turn around to look at our mother who was getting to her feet. She was all right, probably still in shock.

While running I kept on telling myself she wanted to attack Nate due to the shock of what has happened. Despite the murderous glare she had she couldn't have meant it, though. It couldn’t be anything else, could it?

I woke up early the next morning with a splitting headache, not the first time I felt like I had no sleep. As I groaned and sat up I turned to the voice that called to me.

“Morning, sleeping beauty.”

“Ugh… Nate, when did you come back?” I asked rubbing my head sleepily.

“A few hours ago. I had a drink with some guards but got nothing. So we need to infiltrate the town. Those good for nothing guards at the bars were too stubborn and stuck up to actually tell me anything. If I had at least some information I would be able to play a bit of a dare,” he grinned as if seeing a pray he waited for all his life, “but without it, I can't bet anything.”

Seeing that slightly crazed light in his eyes I nodded while stretching “Yeah, well townsfolk it is then.” We nodded at each other and got ready to head out.

While wandering around I did gain some glances probably from those hopeful people believing there will be justice. Not like I cared, I was in for the money and nothing else, after all. I rolled my eyes when a woman folded her hands in prayer when she saw me.

“Any potential informants?” I asked ignoring the hopeful lady.

Nate looked around the eyepatch not helping with the lookout “Not really, they either look scared or too serious to be of use.” One of the guards spotted us and slowly headed in our direction, probably wanting to question us. His face stern. Even though I was a wizard that didn't always mean a good thing meanwhile Nate... Well, he had to hide under the eyepatch but even with his hood down he looked like a bandit from woods. I frowned while Nate mumbled “I will take care of him. Go ahead.”

I nodded and as if I never have been walking by Nate I turned in another direction. It was a better idea for me to keep a lookout, after all, I was the bait. As always...

Not long after I was left alone someone approached me.

“Hey there.”

I turned toward the annoying sound and to my disappointment, there were two girls looking at me. One, smaller, with very short brown hair. She looked like she was 16 but from her tone of voice, it was clear that she must have been slightly older. Her face was round and her eyes big giving her quite the innocent look. She was dressed in some dark clothing, with pieces of armour attached to her. She was smiling kindly at me, which made me feel sick to my stomach. Meanwhile, the taller one had a scowl on her face. She looked older, too, probably around Nate's age. She had long dark blond hair tied in a neat ponytail high on her head. Her face was slimmer and harder than the other girl's. Her eyes were of a stormy colour and seemed to be piercing through me. Trying to intimidate me. She wore some light clothing which made her look like just a normal villager.

I looked at both of them judging their personalities, and I came to a scary conclusion - that it was as if seeing the opposites of Nate and me in every sense of the word. I glared and the smaller girl who was the first one to approach me. She was not much shorter than me while the other one was just a few centimetres taller.

“A wizard ey? A rare sight here. May I ask what brings you here?” She asked cheerfully. I wanted to throw up, her high pitched voice made something in my head snap, immediately infuriating me. I really didn’t want to even look at them, but infiltration is infiltration.

“What is it to you?” Staying true to myself I was not going to be polite even when I had to talk.

“Well, actually my friend here and I arrived not long ago, maybe a few weeks, and we heard of those disappearances. Are you here to help?”

“Do you know something that could be useful which won't involve your pathetic life story?” I retorted in a bored tone.

The taller one stepped closer and was about to say something when from behind a deep voice rung in a gentle tone. “Well, well, you shouldn’t treat ladies in such a way, Aaron.” Nate appeared from behind me like a ghost (which he usually was), he glanced at me with a gentle smile, but that look told me to calm down. I sighed knowing Nate will take care of the pesky creatures I did indeed calm down. “I apologize for my brother, he is quite the rough one. Anyway, how can I help two pretty girls?” Nate grinned. Even with his tough looks, he gained a look or two from the women around, but only when he willed it. He was able to not just disappear in the shadows but also be the centre of attention which was a gift which not many assassins could handle.

The smaller creature looked delighted while the taller still glared but finally spoke “We were just wondering if your brother was here to help or if we should get out of here before we disappear too.”

Nate grinned, this time it wasn’t the fake smile from before, “A bold woman. Interesting. Well, he is pretty powerful and we were planning on looking into it.”

Smaller one nodded “That is great. Well, we might not look it but if you need help we will gladly tag along. I mean, I am an archer while Ava here is a priestess.”

Ava looked at her shorter friend mumbling “Leah, maybe you shouldn’t have said anything.”

Nate chuckled “Arent you guarded? Don’t worry if we need help we will ask for it. Well…” he looked at me adding, “I will, at least.”

Ava eyed him “And what are you?”

“Me? I am no one, I don’t have any skills, I just travel with my brother here.” He patted me on the shoulder, yet another signal. However, this time it meant either that something is wrong or he has my back in a fight, and because I could easily fight those two off it was definitely the first option.

Leah said, “I see, well if you need us at any point we will be probably in this area.” She smiled, but there was something wrong with it this time. Something more to her words.

I picked up on it and said “Yeah, yeah. Whatever... Now you can scram.”

Nate sighed shaking his head “Excuse him. And we will, but do you know anything that could help my brother?”

Girls looked at one another shaking their heads, while Leah mumbled “Nothing useful. We are new here.”

Nate nodded and after the farewell, both girls left. Waiting for them to be out of the earshot I turned to Nate noticing the gloom in his expression “So, what do you think?”

“There is more to this story. Let’s go back to the lookout, those two will wait until tonight for the investigation.” Nate's voice was low, and dangerous all of a sudden. I, on the other hand, nodded, happy by those words which meant I will have nothing to do with this investigation as it will be a work for an assassin.

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