It was noon and loud singing was heard in the town of Slaughtershed. It's name came from the town having the highest number of meat butchers on the continent.
At a restaurant, a small group of adventurers decided to share their dinner.
"The.. the next round of drinks are on me." Aki yelled out in a drunken state.
"YAAYYYYYY!!!!". The costumers screamed in excitement as they rushed to get their drinks.
"He shouldn't have drink soo much." Awia said to Lee as she covered her head with her veil.
"If he does this again, we'll be a loss." she added.
"Alright, time to sit down oh drunken leader". Lee said as he pulled Aki down to his sit.
"Wait i think am going too.."
Lee rushed Aki outside as he violently threw up.
"I don't think i am ever drinking again". Aki said with frustration.
"I think i have a headache." Aki said as he wiped his mouth with a small cloth.
"Here gargle this". Lee handed Aki a bottle, which he drank from.
Pfffftt!!!
Aki spat out it's contents.
"It's more BEER!!". Aki yelled as he looked at Lee with annoyance.
"I didn't say you should drink it, just gargle." Lee replied him, in his own defence.
They returned to the bar.
"I think I threw up my dinner". Aki uttered in frustration as his face fell on counter.
"Let him get another one, take it from my share". Merlin said as he continued his meal.
"If you say so". Awia took out some silver coins from her bag and paid for Aki's plate.
"Merlin thank you soo much, did i ever say you're much cooler than Lee. If i didn't i am saying it now". Aki told Merlin as he received his second plate.
Aki had begun devouring his meal.
Two knights walked in.
Lee looked at Merlin.
Merlin turned his head to observe the newcomers.
"Zeroth Guild Lieutenant and an Investigator". Merlin whispered to Lee.
"We're looking for an El Diablo, anybody know where we can find them?". Byomkesh shouted as the restaurant went silent.
"It's not hard to identify you people when everyone says you're a really colourful bunch". Sophia said as she threw a dagger at Merlin.
He caught it with his right hand.
"How're doing Soph?". Merlin asked as he turned his seat around to face her.
"The black knight, a priestess, the gunslinger and a rich kid?".
"You guys really are a rag-tag group, i am soo surprised you guy's haven't split and gone your separate ways".
"Ha ha". Awia let out a short laugh out of spite.
"Oh and Merlin, i am doing just fine". Sophia replied him as she let out a soft smile.
"We're here on important business so we would like it if you kindly step outside." Byomkesh said to the group.
"Why?". Lee reached for his pistols.
"Just incase things go wrong but we don't want them to go wrong." Sophia said as she pushed away her cloak revealing her daggers and bow.
"Okay, that's enough."
"We're going with you guys." Aki said as he finished his glass of water and got off his chair.
The guild carried their belongings and stepped out of the establishment.
"Our rides are here so we don't want to walk too far, you understand". Aki said as she pointed at their horses.
"We want to find out about your activities in the wizard village of Zo."
"My friend here will use a truth spell to detect any lie uttered within the time frame of the spell". Sophia said to the guild.
Aki, who was was now filled with concern had to ask.
"Did something happen?"
"You'll have to be patient with us." Sophia responded to him, while signaling Byomkesh to begin the spell.
The sigil appeared above Aki's head.
"Let's begin then?".
"Did you visit the wizard village of Zo within the past three months?"
"Yes".
"What were your intentions?"
"Me and my guild were just passing through"
"Did you bring harm to any of it's inhabitants in one way or another?"
"No".
The sigil disappeared.
"Thank you for your time." Byomkesh said to the guild and turned around.
"Wait. What happened?". Aki said as he grabbed his arm, tightly.
Byomkesh stared into his eyes and realised that it was personal.
"All the inhabitants of the village of Zo are gone". Byomkesh said to the adventurer.
Aki walked backwards and paused in shock.
"I don't understand? All of them?". Awia asked in horror.
"It seems a young student they took in betrayed his teachers and used them to create an abomination." Sophia replied her.
Awia put her hands on her lips.
"Who did this? WHO???". Aki yelled out.
Sophia looked at Byomkesh and pulled a folded sheet of paper from her bag.
It was a wanted poster.
"We have been able to identify the boy, people have nicknamed him The Dark Alchemist". Sophia told Aki as she gave him the poster and walked away with her fellow knight.
Aki unfolded the poster. On it's body read the words.
"Icarus Faust born in the town of Edroug. Wanted Dead or Alive. 500 gold coins. Order declared by The Roundtable. Last seen heading towards the western port"
"500 gold coins is insane for a guy that young, they really want him gone huh." Lee said as he smoked his cigar.
"We are going to the western port." Aki said to his guild as he folded the paper into his pocket.
"You can't be serious?". Lee muttered.
Aki's face had a blank expression.
"Oh, you are. Very well then".
The guild climbed atop their beasts and headed towards the western port.
"If he's headed towards the port, i believe he plans to hide out in one of the islands further away from the knights reach." Merlin stated.
"He's going to try and escape the Naval Unit." Merlin added.
"Meaning we're headed towards pirates bay". Lee said as he let out some smoke.
The four adventurers rode into the night with no time to waste.
Near the western port.
A small fish town once busy and rowdy, remained quiet this very night.
"Tony, Marcus… meet your lovely sister Esther". Icarus said as he drank a mug of beer.
"I'm getting better and better at this, you know". He said to himself.
Marcus was more humanlike than his Tony. He had eyes,ears, a mouth but he lacked a nose and an iris. He was much smaller and brighter in skin tone than Tony.
Marcus also expressed more independent thinking.
Esther had everything on a face except hair on her head.Her skin was brighter than Marcus's but she had no reproductive organs same as her siblings.
"You're almost perfect, my child". Icarus said as he grabbed her head in his arms.
"but we will get there my children. For we are on a narrow road, the road to perfection". Icarus shouted out loud, followed by a diabolical laugh.