Bellbraun and his Golden Band came to the castle at Lacernus Town. It was a modest place compared to other castles, but quite grand compared to the rest of the town beneath it.

Bellbraun entered into the mayor's room alone for his payment.

"The job's finished," Bellbraun said, "The rebels are dead or dying in fire and smoke."

The mayor was an akkedi, but he was a little more fat than the rest. He drank a bottle of cheap wine and smashed it on the table. There were two guards next to him. They looked to be highly trained professionals.

"Finished!?" the mayor yelled angrily, "I'm not blind! My city is burning. You were supposed to just get rid of those rebels. Not destroy this place."

Bellbraun smiled as though everything was fine, which it really was for the golden giant. The mayor strode up to him furiously. Bellbraun stood tall and looked down to meet him.

"The deal was to get rid of those rebels which I have done efficiently and swiftly. Can you say the same for your trained knights. Now, you promised quite a large sum - specifically, half of your gold supply."

"Damn you. You're not getting a single coin until you fix this mess or I'll send you straight down into the oubliette for you to rot."

Bellbraun's smile faded away into just an expression of boredom. He looked at the two guards near the mayor and commanded, "Leave us."

"What? You think you can just order my knights around," the mayor said arrogantly, "Have you got hit in the head. I'm in charge -."

Bellbraun just glanced at the two guards with an aura of such terror that they both just took a step back. For a second, they could have sworn that they saw a golden dragon.

The mayor's two knights left the room without a second thought. Their masked helmets hid their faces, but behind them, they were sweating buckets.

"Are you sure?" Bellbraun asked. The mayor took a step back in fear, but the golden giant casually put his hand around the mayor's shoulder.

"I...I'll pay you. I'll pay you the fortune we agreed upon."

"Do you think that will sway me? Do you honestly believe that your money offers any power?" Bellbraun asked.

Bellbraun's grip slowly began to tighten, but not enough to hurt. He looked at the mayor's frightened eyes and saw a whimpering mongrel.

"My true employer, Avaritia, requires much more. I require much more. Half of your gold supply won't be enough," Bellbraun said, "We'll be taking every bit of gold in your treasury seeing as you won't need it. Think of it as a bonus for all our hard work."

The mayor was completely frozen. He couldn't even beg for life. Then, Bellbraun took his other hand and covered the mayor's mouth suffocating him. The akkedi tried to break free and gasp for air, but to no avail. Bellbraun could have snapped the little akkedi's neck, but he thought that he'd go easy on the small creature.

Bellbraun said as he choked the life out of the lizard, "Don't worry. You won't be bankrupt. I'll leave you with all of the jewels, silver, and copper. I think that's a fair deal."

The golden giant left the mayor's dead body on the floor without a second thought to it.

His golden-robed knights had already collected any and all gold that they found in the town and treasury. They had wagons full of them outside and still being packed. But it wasn't enough. Bellbraun knew they still needed more. As he left the room, he noticed that his knights had their blades pointed at two guards. They were easily disarmed by the golden-robed figures, but Bellbraun wasn't expecting much from the strength of mere humans. But he did see some potential in them as he noticed that one of the robes that his knights wore was torn off by the two guards' weapons. Before the golden-robed knights were about to kill them, Bellbraun stopped them with a simple command. The golden-robed knights left and Bellbraun looked down at the guards. They were confused, but they quickly picked up their weapons. They didn't accept death so easily. And they didn't fear Bellbraun.

"Seems like you have some vigor," Bellbraun said to the knights in all honesty, "Don't worry. I will not kill you. I only wish to ask you a question. A very simple question. You may respond however you like, but I assure you that whatever your answer may be, I will allow no harm to come to such strong-willed individuals."

Bellbraun truly only wanted to ask those two knights one question.

And he asked, "Have you ever heard of the Golden Garden?"