The starry sky above their heads passed by comparatively quickly. Throughout the night, Cale stayed awake and documented everything he knew about the Kormandent and Basil on two pages. He also added some very detailed sketches and a small map that would make it easier for Aaron to find his target. Before he noticed the sun, Cale could detect movement from his guests' room. His friends had awakened and were occupying the bathroom one by one. As if Grischa had noticed the others as well, he woke up, so Cale turned away from his book and looked down at Grischa.

"Good morning", Cale quietly chimed in, with Grischa not making a sound and burying his face under the covers. "You're quite the morning grumpy, princess."

"It's too bright", he complained. "What time is it?"

"A little before 7", Cale replied after glancing at the clock.

"We should get going, the work isn't going to do itself."

"You're right about that. Let's have breakfast and talk to Aaron and the Eldest first", Cale explained, making the documents disappear with his zero magic before standing up. The sleepy person next to him turned back like a little worm and squinted at him menacingly.

"You've got it all planed out, don't you?"

"What can I say, I'm just a genius."

"A little kid sound more realistic."

"I'm older than you."

"Ho ho, no. No. That's not fair. You can't use the 'I'm a time traveler excuse' whenever you want", Grischa countered, which made Cale laugh. Annoyed, Grischa buried himself deeper into the bed before his voice could be heard softly. "I'd like to go visit my family, if that's okay with you?"

"Do you want to tell them what's going on?"

"No."

"I see", Cale merely murmured. He wondered if Grischa was even aware that he had just 12RM left. If they really had two months to search for information about the Kormandent, Cale was sure of victory. But as Aletta warned, no one knew what else might happen. Perhaps the mark would change and literally suck Grischa's life into it?

Tired, Grischa crawled out of bed, stretched extensively, and let his back crack like an old man before getting up and disappearing into the bathroom, uniform and all. Cale made his work, made up the bed and went to his dressing room before he noticed that Grischa wasn't allowed to use any crystal at all. Just as he opened the door again, the bathroom across the hall opened and Grischa's head popped up. He was already wearing his uniform, but he had noticed the problem too, so he blushed slightly.

"Help", was all he gave out in exasperation, which caused Cale to exhale in relief and, with a quick motion, run the water at the sink.

"Keep it running, I would also like to wash my face briefly afterwards", Cale replied quietly, which only caused Grischa to nod and disappear again. Cale sighed as he stepped back into his dressing room and squeezed into his uniform. He felt like a servant, but they had no other choice.

He then went into the vacated bathroom, quickly washed his face, and joined Grischa downstairs to the kitchen.

"Good morning", his friends replied almost in unison, so the two High-Magicians greeted them as well. While Grischa sat down at the table and started a conversation with the others, Cale joined Aletta at the counter. He was about to start preparing breakfast when the healer inconspicuously signaled him that they needed to talk. Carefully, he made a small sound barrier appear around them before Aletta handed him back the communication crystal and began to explain what she had found out.

"Not good at all. I talked to the different healers from Frignez yesterday and nothing. None could remember ever seeing this sign, nor have they heard of this mana problem. Our head healer Juna, who has access to our large library, said she would do some research and get back to us if necessary."

"That's better than nothing."

"That's not all. I talked to them afterwards about my theory, which is that the creature is stealing Sir Vonstetten's mana. I didn't mention his name during the discussion, of course, but one thing I was asked over and over again was what is so special about this person?", she interjected skeptically. Cale paused; the question was a valid one. Grischa was not the only High-Magician who had been outside the city walls, but why had it been him and not the three High-Magicians from the Eldest's vision? "It's funny, isn't it? There were hundreds of people fighting and also mages with similarly large mana pools, but they chose him? Was that coincidence or planned?"

"We suspected that the creatures had specifically attacked Exarion to kill the Eldest as well as the High-Magicians. Probably Grischa was just in the wrong place at the wrong time", Cale informed the young girl without turning away from the food.

"Legitimate idea, but I still had a question. Hadn't Sir Vonstetten done something to piss off the creatures lately?"

"What exactly do you mean?"

"Wasn't it him who imposed the curfew? Maybe that didn't sit well with the creatures?"

Cale's jaw dropped. That was true, Grischa had raised the curfew much earlier than in his other lives. Had that... had that led to this situation in the first place?

"Are you assuming that they were targeting him because he wanted to keep people away from the creature plains?"

"It's possible, isn't it? Maybe they saw him as a danger and wanted to get rid of him. Something similar was suspected by the others."

"Damn", Cale threw back with a sigh. "The more I think about it, the worse it gets. Thanks for your help, Aletta. I'll pass this along to the council later."

"You're always welcome, even though there wasn't much I could do."

"You helped me more than you realise", Cale replied politely, making the barrier disappear. The healer nodded to him before turning her attention to the full table with some bread.

"My fiancé is supposed to arrive in town today", she announced loudly, drawing everyone's attention.

"Fiancé?", Grischa threw back in wonder.

"Already?", gave Philippa a chance to speak.

"Are you going to receive him?", added Ben.

The conversation immediately moved to Aletta's statement, while Cale prepared a typical cold breakfast and gradually served it on the table. Afterwards, they ate together and talked a bit about the last days and the days to come. Cale remained quiet most of the time, which William, who was sitting right next to him, noticed.

"Is everything all right?", he asked quietly.

"Not really, no", Cale returned carefully, making sure no one could hear him. Successfully. "Things aren't going the way I thought they would."

"If there's anything I can do to help, let me know", William replied, to which Cale merely nodded his head. Perhaps he would take him up on the offer.

After breakfast, Ben and William cleaned up the kitchen again while Aletta talked with Grischa at the table. Cale paused in the doorway and glanced unobtrusively at Philippa, who noted his look with irritation. With a quick toss of his head, he gestured for her to follow him.

"Did something happen?", she asked him as they came to a halt in the doorway.

"I have a bigger favor to ask of you."

"Gladly, anytime. I owe you quite a bit anyway."

"You're from Winstest, if I remember correctly."

"Yes. Originally from the southwest, but when I was seven, I moved to the Death Region."

"How well do you know the Death Region? Have you ever been near the mountains or even further north?"

"I know my way around fairly well, I would say. It's just that I've rarely been this far north. It's pretty dangerous for people like me to live that far out, considering there are creatures there, too. Why do you ask?"

"I'm looking for a man", he admitted quietly, pulling out from under his jacket a drawing of the man he had made that night. "His name is Basil."

"Never seen or heard of him", she replied as she looked more closely at the picture.

"Almost suspected that. He is said to have turned his back on the people and retired to the mountains. The 3rd seat of the Magistrat, Aaron Thopas, will going to search of this man tomorrow and I wanted to ask you..."

"You're going to ask me to accompany him, aren't you?"

"If it's not too much to ask", Cale replied cautiously. He had thought for quite a while about whether he trusted the group to manage on their own. The thought of giving them a mission as Anuxers made him queasy. "I'm toying with the idea of sending the three of you to Winstest with Aaron."

"Just the three of us?"

"Aletta has to stay here in Exarion for many reasons, I'm sorry. I know that would limit you, but I can't let her go," Cale explained matter-of-factly. Hesitantly, Philippa looked up from the drawing and seemed to be surviving whether she wanted to take the risk. "Besides, her father, Chiefs Merensen, wouldn't be happy if Aletta refused his request."

"Have you talked to her father?"

"Not for long. The night of the banquet, I talked with Chiefs Merensen and his colleagues Asta Mundor, but that was more about other issues."

"I understand," Philippa replied thoughtfully. "I would. Play the guide for Sir Thopas, I mean. Even if Ben and William didn't come along."

Relieved, Cale breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted to avoid it, but he had no choice. Cale had to trust them, even if it was hard and he didn't like Aaron.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. There aren't that many people in the Death Region, so it shouldn't be impossible to find Sir Basil", Philippa replied, unintentionally interpreting Basil's first name as his last name. "I'll talk to William and Ben about it later."

"Thank you", Cale merely repeated again. With a nod, Philippa handed the picture back to him and went to Aletta, who had just appeared from behind the door. While she was burning to know why the Magistrat was looking for this man, she felt it rude to interfere in the affairs of others.

"What are you thinking about again", Grischa snapped him out of his thoughts. With a wave of his hand, he motioned for Cale to follow him. The two High-Magicians said their goodbyes and left the apartment before Cale gave him an answer.

"About far too many things. You know Aaron pretty well, don't you?"

"Knowing is a pretty elastic term there. He was my teacher back when I became a 3rd stage mage. Other than that, I don't know much about him, except that he's a very meticulous man. In some ways, he's a lot like you."

"I've noticed that, too. We often think and act alike, to the point it gives me the creeps."

"Ah, yes, I know that problem. Sometimes he scares me, too", Grischa threw back with amusement. "I'm quite grateful to him for looking after this Basil on my account. Didn't expect it, I must confess."

"Neither did I", Cale replied quietly. "It never struck me that he was interested in any of us. Except for the Eldest, he pretty rarely talks to us. Or at least to me."

"Not just to you. He does that to everyone. He only really gets talkative when it comes to work. Strange man, I must say. I've never understood why he is the way he is."