Joshua put the tome away as he made his way to look at the board. Seeing more jobs for Resource Workers. Some jobs looking for Venerators to fill the spots. A few Venerators that were needed to be dealt with 'Dead or Alive' Joshua took his phone and scanned the barcodes next to it the bounties. It detailed what the Venerators had done as crimes.

Murderers, thieves, rapists, gang leaders and all sorts of things. It seems that criminals are also part of this world, just looking at the board itself Joshua could see many things. The kinds of things that made him uncomfortable. He could see phrases on each name.

"He took my wife!"

"My son was murdered!" Joshua could hear the voices echoing, then seeing silhouettes of the people crying before the counters of the Union. Asking for help. The reward for all of these cases? It was not even close to what other people were doing. Some people earned thousands from a single run of a Spire. You can earn millions when you hit the S-Ranks and beyond.

Iacus and Donovan went over by his side.

"Lord. By taking such cases, you may uncover many things. Remember a Lord of Thorns does have their power from the dead. It is because you used the powers of the dead to fight through things. The many Lords of Thorns would put these cases to rest. Be it by having it done by virtue of the law or by violence. There have been times when both can be used together." Iacus explained to Joshua about it, and the whole point of it was to provide closure to the people who had been involved. Joshua picked up one about a serial killer.

One Maxson Muddy, killed 25 people. Taking their most valued possession as his kill trophy. Joshua took up information on this particular killer.

"His MO seems to be specific. Different methods of killing them. Guns, knives, sticks, electrocution, drowning them. Seems that he is specific with what he wishes to do. It feels very cult like. Familiar, but we need to go and investigate the location to uncover more details." Iacus suggestion was sound as Joshua stepped out of the Union Office.

Joshua could see the apparitions of the victims, they were leading him to a path. One of them did not have a head, another was just a woman who was flat on the ground. Her legs were stuck to her back, dismembered and implanted on it.The sight itself has Joshua bothered. The victims had been mutilated and their forms were being shown before them. Like a lighthouse, they guided Joshua to the path of their crimes. Joshua was led by each of the victims. The first was a 10 year old girl who had her head cut off, then placed into her chest. Grotesque was not the word, gruesome was not it either?

Joshua followed the trail until the last victim, seeing a woman who was left as a skeleton. The skin and muscles had been carved out from her. The victims showed him what the bastard had done ot them, and yet to Joshua his only thoughts were wil he be able to gut the bastard?

Lugasa appeared by Joshua's side, yawning as he looked at the scene of the crime.

"I guess at some point even humans have their own monsters too." Lugasa said with a sigh, looking at the scene recreate itself.

"I already have the bastard's location. Do you want to do this by the law?" Lugasa asked, which Joshua thought about it.

"I'll know when we get there." Joshua said as he followed Lugasa.

The journey led them to the words, where treants were patrolling the forest. Seemed to be his familiar, Ice Reaper did not need to be ordered. Ice Reaper swung his scythe, turning them all to blocks of ice. Iacus, Donovan and Ferno readied their armors and blades. Running straight ahead while Joshua walked deeper. All that he thought about was what to do to the target. Seeing a black door, Joshua opened the door as he felt hatred and violence fill the air. He felt a few figures moving about but they seem to be acting far too cautiously.

"Hear me..."

"Why did you leave me?"

"Didn't you care for us?"

"Grant us salvation." The more words he heard, Joshua went deeper and deeper into the halls. Finding a corpse of someone he had known. His elementary school crush, Johana. She was still fresh, and she had a ring to her finger and a locket. She had her neck slit, her entire chest was laid bare. Her organs were on the ground, and the stench of everything was

"Who... Who are you?" Joshua turned to the voice behind him, it was Maxson. His hands were twitching at the very second, his neck tilted to the left and right without much thought. Joshua took out a cuff and slapped it to the hands of Maxson.

"How d-" Joshua's glare froze Maxson in place, and he headbutted Maxson. Off course it was easy for Joshua, Maxson did not have much power in the first place. Joshua dragged Maxson out by the hair. Seeing other Venerators with guns.

"Hey.. That's our prey."

"You can take the bounty, bring him in alive." Joshua said as he threw Maxson at them.

"You're not going to kill him?"

"Not until the families of the bereaved receive their justice." Joshua said to them, then seeing Iacus walk over to the dazed Maxson.

"He is not insane. I can use one of my skills to determine this, lord." Iacus said with a bow.

"His arrest will bring forth a call for the court. Iacus, do what is needed for this matter. Submit to the court that you as a familiar has a skill to determine insanity of the subject." Joshua said where Iacus nodded. Donovan, Ferno and Lugasa followed Iacus as Joshua headed inside. Finding the trophy items of his many victims. The photo in Johana's locket, the 10 year old girl's teddy bear.

"Ah.. So you're going to be one of those types." Joshua heard a voice, he was looking around him in this shed. There was nothing.

"Down here, Lord." Joshua turned to see the Tome of Thorns, the original black, worn leather cover had changed. It was now a black rose with a skull in the middle.

"Ah, so you're the new lord of thorns? A bit young but being the 13th Lord at your age. You know me as the Tome of Thorns but you can call me Raizel."

"A talking... Book?" The Tome floated in front of Joshua, then headbutting Joshua.

"I am not just a talking book! I am a tome! Do you not know the difference between a Tome and a book you cretin!?"

"Nope." Joshua answered simply where he could see Raizel letting out a sigh as he chattered his thoughts away, mumbling in another language.

"Ah.. I see so there's many changes. It makes sense to why a cretin like you do not know what a Tome is." Joshua then did not bother with it, focusing on digging through the shed for more evidence.

"What are you looking for, Lord of Thorns?"

"Nothing that concerns you." Joshua said as he touched a wall. Tapping it with his knuckle, feeling like it was hollow. Then tapping to the walls around it. The tapping noise was quieter. Comparing to the wall he first tapped with his knuckle. A false wall, Joshua pulled the wall apart. Seeing a large hole within.

"Where are you going? Surely not in there?" Joshua ignored Raizel as he went into the hole, where he found a cowering child who was as thin as a skeleton. The corpses of a few children who had been eaten out of hunger and blood to quench the thirst. Joshua grabbed the child as gently as he could. Then walking out of the shed, seeing police officers and paramedics on standby.

"He's a survivor. Please let's get him to the hospital." Joshua spoke to them, stepping into the ambulance while Raizel entered back to his storage. Joshua held the child's hand, seeing the glint of disaster within them. Will they survive this situation? Joshua was praying to his lips as he thought about what will happen next. Will this child survive or will they perish?

The ambulance arrived, and using the facial recognition software. The police called the parents of the child, Joshua stayed by the child's side until the parents showed up. A child who had gone missing for years, Joshua looked at Ferno that arrived to him. The screams inside the operating room, the parents begging for God to help them. Joshua looked at Ferno who walked into the room.

Ferno wishes to save the child.

Will you allow it?

"Yes." Joshua said as a bright light was emitted within the operating room. The people heard a loud noise from the room itself. Ferno returned back to a small form.

To save the child, Ferno sacrificed his power.

Ferno has returned to his infant self.

"You did well Ferno. I'm not mad. I did save you the same way but I used potions. Now let's just wait for what will happen next." Joshua said as he vanished from sight.

The arrest of Maxson went through the Venerator Bounty Hunters, and Iacus was present in the courtroom. Where the world was watching the trial itself. An open trial where Maxson tried to plead insanity for all of his actions.Joshua was present hanging at the back, staring at the families of the aggrieved to be present. The jury was present with three judges at the front. The defense's counsel had a strong opening to determine that Maxson was insane.

"Let me read to you the MO, and every item that has been taken... Your Honour, I am aware that you are a necromancer. I have the items that are treasured by the victims. This may help your case."

"I rarely use this power because I don't know how to use it." The judge spoke to Iacus as the victims were brought to life with the necromancy magic. They were in their grotesque state, turning to Maxson who showed fear upon seeing them.

"Calm yourselves. Look to the ones behind you." The grotesque victims turned to see their family, where all of that hatred and grotesque states of their body faded away. Letting them return as normal human beings. Hugging their families though they could not speak.

"Your Honour, I will pose the questions to the victims. Did the accused, show any signs of being insane during his actions against you?" The victims shook their heads.

"Did the accused, use lies as a means to get you to follow him?" The victims nodded.

"Did the accused ask what was the most important items in your possession?" The victims nodded again.

"Can you identify the items if I showed it?" Iacus asked them, as Donovan brought the items to be seen.

They all went to the items that was taken and showed it to the judge.

"Your Lordship, using powers of a Venerator in such a trial! It is a perversion of law!" The defense lawyer shouted, Iacus turned to the defense lawyer.

"I will be frank with you, counsel. My duty here is to facilitate Justice and aid the prosecution to their case. It is due to my master's wishes. The use of necromancy is not a perversion of law in Aloris. As per the cases of Public Prosecution against Rowland. The case entered trial in 2027 and was recently judged by the same three Honours before us. We are in the Aloris's Supreme Court, in attendance with the three Justices. Ignorantia juris non-excusat. You know what that means don't you?" The defense lawyer closed his mouth as Iacus went deep on this matter. It made sense as Iacus prepared for this, and it was as if Iacus was the prosecution himself in this case.

"You're a familiar?" The Justice asked Iacus.

"Yes, your honour. Forgive my lack of tact in my words, I will use the words Lordship when in reference to the three of you.. My master was the one who aided the bounty hunters in the apprehension of Maxson, even looking for the many items and rescuing a child in the process. We brought it to this particular court as Maxson has bailed three times. Now with the counts of more than 50 murders and possibly more. We wish for the court to decide his fate and as well to bring peace to the ones who are left as survivors. To the Jury who listens to this tale, if my master had chosen to kill Maxson. He would be robbing the survivors of their right to closure. Yet even then, my master had a friend in the list of the victims. Not succumbing to anger, but choosing to bring justice before us all. It has already been proven that by the victims that there is no element of insanity as claimed by Maxson." The Justices were swayed along with the Jury, where Maxson was given the maximum death penalty and it will be handled by the Investigation Bureau.

"It would be wise to return to Mulligan, my lord." Iacus said to Joshua.