Dad,

The situation in Mangdae is growing worse.

One of our coastal villages in the reclamation was razed to the ground, with no bodies left behind and no signs of survivors. Our best trackers – even Jax – couldn't pick up the trail of who or what did this. We’re no longer confident it’s just Titan spawn out here, we may have been chasing monsters that aren’t real and assuming that they were growing more clever like the pack Shaya encountered in the mines.

What if it’s not clever monsters, but enemy forces? Lythranian skirmishers who want to keep a wider demilitarized zone between our territories or perhaps hide their expansion into what’s rightfully ours? With the village being coastal and rumours of increased piracy, the troops have also begun whispering about the Exiles returning to reclaim their territories and sacrifice us to their dark gods.

I’m doing what I can to keep their morale up, but I have to admit that I share their concerns.

The threats here continue to grow and our resources are already stretched too thin.

We need help Dad, and we need it fast.

Sincerely,

Your son,

Tarron Heirosoth

+++++

Tarron,

You’re doing excellent work, please continue your efforts. I know thinks look bleak given what you just discovered, but remember all of the lives you have saved from the spawn you’ve already purged and the bandits you’ve dealt with. You are making a difference, even if it feels like you can’t save every life or be everywhere at once.

Your uncle has managed to scrape together sufficient funds to hire a band of mercenaries to bolster our numbers. They should make it to you within the week, letting you cover more ground as you secure our territory – our home.

I’m also off to call in a few favours from old friends. With any luck, we should be receiving capable reinforcements soon.

Love,

Your father,

Lumir Heirosoth

*****

Inquisitor,

I would like you to do me a favour. I have heard rumours of a rising star amongst the student body, one who has had an abnormal number of run-ins – and victories – over apostates across the Celestial Empire. Despite my predecessor’s reassurances that they’re uncorrupted, and in spite of the boy’s rantings that something must be awry within the Academy, I would like you to bring her and her Lance in for questioning. I worry for the minds of these poor children: this level of exposure to apostates before the Academy has reinforced their conviction could leave them vulnerable to needless anxiety or make them too curious of the knowledge we have worked so hard to suppress this past decade. It is likely nothing, but I would like assurances from someone I trust so that I can cross this off my list and focus my attention elsewhere.

There is another matter I would like you to raise with this Shaya directly. Report to me for tea this afternoon and we can discuss it in greater detail. Then, once this little affair is over, you may return to your hunt for the local cultists.

Hopefully this diversion will allow you to return to your real duties with a sense of clarity that will guide you to actual leads, something which you have seemed incapable of recently.

Walk in the Light,

Lord-Inquisitor