6:50 am his clock strikes. His eyes open without a single thought of going back to sleep. He stops his alarm, massaging between his eyes as he sits up. He gets straight into the bathroom as his first task, letting down that cold morning shower onto his skin, whisking away the rest of the drag from his slumber. He finishes his showering, wrapping a towel around his waist, drying his head with another. He steps towards his mirror, looking around his face for any in-equality of facial hair on his already clean face, spraying some shaving-gel into his hand just to be completely assured. He gets back into his room, looking into his wardrobe at all his classy attires, deciding on what to wear for today.

"Red it is," He chooses.

Glasses on, Laces tied, shirt buttoned and red tie fixed, lastly fixing his hair, looking like a gentleman of high class. He picks up his phone, going into the living room, sighting at the very organized space, pleased that it was not disturbed. There he walks past his roommate's room, putting his ear at the door to listen for a sign of life.

"Arwyn?" He calls, receiving only but a slight grunt and the sound of a glass bottle rolling onto the ground. "Hmm...must have been a fun night"

He steps into the kitchen, apron equipped to not heighten the chances of his suit being dirtied, thoroughly washing his hands. Step by step he prepares breakfast, like a top chef in his element, resulting in a top-quality meal being served, laying two dishes out on the kitchen aisle, covering Arwyn's own, also leaving a note that informs him to call when he's awake, drinking black coffee as he enjoys his first meal for the day. He finishes the rest of his morning routine, lastly strapping his book of magic to his side, exiting the apartment, viewing the cloudy sky that dampens the brilliance of the sun. He sets his path onto the road, firstly greeted by two ladies that gawk at his gentleman character as they go along.

"Captain Victor!" A taxi driver salutes as he comes along.

"Good morning," Victor hails.

"Would you like a lift, Sir?"

"Yes, I would appreciate that," Victor tells him.

"After you," The driver opens the door for him.

"Thank you," Victor gets in the rear seat.

The driver turns on the radio, broadcasting the weather forecast that informs them of heavy showers in the coming days, as Victor checks through the news feed on his phone. 8:00 am the watch on his hand says, pleased by his organized self as always. From where he stands, he looks up at the headquarters of the Strongcastle knights, peaking over all other structures, brilliant in its 200 years old stance. He walks through the waking streets, people already drinking, blacksmiths already at work. He stops at an intersection, waiting for the green light to move forward, overhearing a conversation behind him.

"Terry, that flipping idiot," The dwarf says. "Where could he have gone for three whole days without a single call??"

"You see. It's weird, isn't it?" The lizardman says. "I can't believe this. We have to bring in the full design to the meeting this afternoon...by the gods, we're screwed"

The green light comes, fixing his glasses as he moves along. To his eyes content, he sees a couple of walls riddled with posters of a woman. His interest pulls him in closer, drawn in by the details of a woman who has not been seen for over a week, looking towards another woman, crying as she's comforted by others.

"S-Sir Victor! Sire," She comes, grabbing his hand. "Please, my daughter...she went on a trip with her friends outside the city and never returned. She said she'd be back in four days, but it's been a whole week with not even a phone call from her nor her friends"

"Where did she go?" He asks, comforting her with a hand on her's.

"Forswon's town," She cries. "Please, I don't want to think something happened to her"

"Here's a poster," Another gives him. "Put in a word for us to Commander Vernon, we're begging you...she's her only child"

"I’ll be sure to, you have my word. All I ask of you now is to please take care of yourselves. We will get to the bottom of this," He comforts them.

Replaying the two conversations in his head, he wonders at their similarities, concerned as he now reaches the headquarter. Just a little off of time to him, forgiving it as they were more important matters to hear about. He opens the door of the meeting room to Vice Commander Gunnar and Arnaldo firstly greeting him.

"Ah, Victor! Good morning!" Gunnar hails second. "...Where is that lad Arwyn?"

"Seemed like he had a very busy night, so I left him to rest up a little more," He explains, sitting around the meeting table.

"Ah, that lazy boy. Why must a knight of his potential always waste his days away drinking and having sex? And I thought I was the dwarf," Gunnar grunts.

"You do the exact same things when you're ready, you old horny drunk," They both think in their minds, already smelling beer on him.

"Don't look at it as being lazy, Vice Commander," Arnaldo says. "Think of it as a- uh, Yes! His way of forming a connection with the people he serves, with a drink at the table and...the pleasing of lonely souls who ask for affection in the dusk of days. Don't you think, Victor?"

"All for the peace," Victor smiles, agreeing with the words of Arnaldo.

"It seems that peace has been troubled," Vernon comes in.

The blinds come down at the windows, all light dimmed out, with a push of a button by Vernon which also turns on a projector to display some images. the three lean in more as he sees what is displayed; Two torn up bodies, torn up animals, destruction of a forest, with a dead red boar.

"Around the borders between Strongcastle and Dragonford, an adventurer reported that he came across a group that was collecting wineroses in Grinyar's Forest. A group of red boars attacked them. Luckily, he got there just in time. A collector-classed group of adventures...they didn't even stand a chance"

"But what are red boars doing up there?" Arnaldo questions.

"Perhaps an outcome of the slain beasts?" Gunnar questions. "They must have also run into one of them, forced to move up into different cover"

"Same thing I was thinking, and that's not the only thing either," Vernon tells them, gesturing for them to open the case file in front of them. "They had a female companion among them. As reported by the survivors, she spun off in a shock of fear. You wanna know what's unusual about this? The adventure who saved them never crossed her...He was walking the same path as the one they said she took. Never saw her, not even hearing the faintness of her voice"

"You mean she just disappeared?" Victor questions.

"That's right. We would expect to find her body, even if it's just a leg, but it's like she vanished with the darkness, like a ghost. And this isn't the only missing person case we've collected, not just dragonford, this is happening all around Strongcastle the same way"

"I see," Victor says, pulling out the missing person poster he was handed. "I got this from a distressed parent who said her daughter's been missing for a while...something tells me there is more to this than we think. What is our strategy moving forward? And how will we keep the people at ease?"

"Right now, as knights, we should do our best to aid them in whatever way we can, until we get to the bottom of this situation," Gunnar suggests.

"A captain and his units were already placed on the task to hunt those beasts and I've made sure to strengthen the patrols within the region. We're gonna need to place extra attention to this. Arnaldo," Vernon calls.

"Yes, commander?" Arnaldo answers.

"I want you to investigate the missing people cases. Talk to the people, see what you can find out?" Vernon orders.

"Roger that!" Arnaldo nods.

"Victor"

"Yes, sir?"

"I'll need your detective skills in another case," He tells him, gesturing to Gunnar.

"Ahem," Gunnar clears his throat. "Last night, on my way to the...to the red light district"

"Of course," All three of them react to his honesty.

"I- Hold on now. I came across some lads and lasses who were up to no good; Alcohol, cannabis, and even fertility seals. Boy, teenagers these days are really something, aren't they?" He grins, putting bags with said items on the table, revealing another thing among them. "Among those things, I found these"

"What's this?" Arnaldo picks up the small bottle of tablets.

"They called them frostbites," Gunnar answers. "They heard it would give them chills if they took one, hence the name. They said they didn't try for themselves, so I had them run along"

"You just let them go?" Arnaldo asks.

"Well, they said they didn't take it," Gunnar shrugs.

"Luckily, he did. That would have made things a lot harder. I'm gonna send it in for the research department to examine, we should get the results in three days or so. And it's where you and Arwyn graduated from," Vernon tells Victor.

"My old school?" Victor questions.

"Yup, it's about time you go visit your old neighbourhood, visit your parents while you're at it," He suggests to him.

"Commander is right," Arnaldo agrees. "When was the last time you took some time to visit your family? Or even a nice vacation?"

"Hmm, can't say. It has been a long time, that's true," Victor fixes his glasses, rubbing his chin as he wonders how his parents are doing.

"I've already discussed this with the director. The operation will be in two days, I can always switch around if you're too busy already," Vernon assures.

"No, it's alright. I really should pay a visit now that I have a chance to"

"Great. This operation will be conducted undercover; you'll be going there as a simple knight who has gone back to pay a visit and counsel his former school, I thought it would make your work a bit easier"

"I see, so in two days"

"You'll have as much time as you need. Take your time, look and listen even for the smallest details, both of you," Vernon tells Victor and Arnaldo, face serious as he tells them. "Let's hope for the best"

"Yes, sir," They both salute to Vernon and Gunnar, leaving the room.

"We have to go to Drakgard, the other commanders will be there. The King and the Highsword have announced a roundtable for tomorrow," Vernon tells Gunnar.

"The capital? Hmm, these are indeed some puzzling times, heh?"

"That's true...and I have a bad feeling about this," Vernon says, looking through the window at the city. "Victor may be right...there is something more to this than we understand"

***

"It seems we'll be busier than usual for a while, Victor," Arnaldo says. "I've never seen the commander that serious, not in a long time"

"Indeed," Victor realizes. "...Arnaldo, what do you think of all this?"

"It is quite a strange happening, for sure" Arnaldo rubs his chin. "Actually, before hearing from Commander, I've overheard some conversations since last week. Apparently, some of them have been gone for more than a month now"

"Likewise...I can't even imagine where to begin," Victor tells him as they reach outside the headquarters.

"No worries, my friend," Arnaldo puts his hand on Victor's shoulder. "Rest assured, for I shall surely get to the bottom of this. That is a promise! For problems like these, we must keep a clear mind that allows us better thinking, so how about you go grab a drink?"

"A drink? It's 9:00, Arnaldo," Victor chuckles. "Better you say tea, but I've had coffee two hours ago"

"Ah, I see. I shall see you when I've gathered enough information. My journey will take me out of Ironkeep, onto the open land of Strongcastle," Arnaldo portrays. "For now, get some rest while you can. Link up with a few friends you haven't talked to in a long while. You are a busy man, Victor, so make sure to take full advantage of when you do get time to rest. Goodbye, my friend. I shall see you when my work is done. Tell Arwyn I'll be gone for a while"

"Likewise," Victor shakes his hand. "Safe travels"

Arnaldo signs off to him with a wave of his hand, having Victor smile as he always seems to be impressed by Arnaldo's very animated self. To start the rest of his day, he completes the tasks he had laid out for today; filing out his role as captain, going to the gym, taking time to help those with small problems and worries, and lastly buying some groceries for what needs replenishing, now sitting on the outdoors of a cafe, drinking some ice tea with eating a sandwich, back to thinking on the matter of the cases. The time of the sun's work is done, shifting over to the starry night. He gets home with bags of groceries in hand, getting into a house still cleaned, quiet, untouched, seeing his roommate's door slightly open, knowing he has gone out to enjoy himself under this lively night. After taking a shower, he puts on his silk pajamas, finally resting his eyes as he sees 10:30 strikes on the clock.