Mystery Uncovered

[Inspirit]

Well just in time although I must apologize for the rush writing. Ended up procrastinating and left one day to tidy everything up Uses some of the clues to write the story.

Titania was away on a trip for almost a month, on a little island known as Calidis. The mysterious island was located further west of Alveus, isolated from the rest by its dangerous sheer cliffs and rugged sea. Rumour had it that a temple was found, a few mile along the river from the port of the island. Being her curious self, she immediately jumps to join in the excursion when she was offered to. She was looking forward to see the Temple of Ashen but little does she knows, the journey was more than meets the eye.
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She thought that she would be able to pay a visit to the Black Market on the last night of its visit. It had been awhile since she last saw Alethin and his mysterious ware of exclusive eggs. Alethin had never fail to amuse her, his wares were different every full moon. No one knows how he could get hold of such rare eggs to sell. However, when she reached The Keep, she was met with disappointment. The air was filled with silent murmur of the news that Alethin was finally caught. His cart was tightly locked and some said they even saw Adela slithering alone, a torned note around her neck. Titania always know that Alethin was crafty so he wouldn’t be that careless and let slip his location. Someone or something must have lead to his capture.

Apparently he was caught for doing something illegal.. Something to do with love potions. Where he gets his hands on that, is yet another mystery.
“Are you up for a walk?” Titania asked, glancing over to her light raiju pup who was busy wrestling with the ghost leopard kittens. Ara looked up, perked at the mentioned of a walk. The little raiju didn’t have a chance to go out...not ever since Titania was away on her trip so practically she immediately jumped at the chance. “Know you would be up for it. Let’s go.” She beckoned, slinging her satchel over her shoulder and left her room, Ara trailing rambunctiously behind her.

Titania didn’t know how she could remember the route to the clearing where Alethin usually set up his wares but somehow she always do. It was like the route has already been embedded into her mind. She could navigate easily through the winding vast forest without getting lost. Ara bounced ahead of her with delight, trying to chase whatever creatures that came across their path; like the avrael or even Lunestre Dragon that was fluttering around. Titania couldn’t help but smile at her antics.

The bushes parted and the pair emerged, into a clearing in the forest. Titania didn’t think it would still be there especially in broad daylight but there it was, the enormous wagon that Alethin always travel with. Without any hesitation, Ara bounced over to the cart with delight, sniffing at the wheels when she reached there. Behind her, Titania slowly trod over. She quickened her steps when she saw Ara was barking for her attention, tail wagging excitedly while trying to grab onto whatever it was hidden beneath the wheel.
“What do we have here?” She murmured, going down on all four and peeked. Sure enough, there was a piece of parchment. Titania reached out and grab onto it.
Although most of ink has been smudged off, she could still make out the remaining words.
“Planning escape…. Someone figured out...route… reaching out to all my…..may lay low for a while” She read. Her eyebrow arched but say no more and pocketed the piece of parchment.

[Inspirit]

Not only the news about Alethin’s escape was surprising but something more serious had shook the community. The morning air that arose from the stream was foul-smelling which created an unpleasant atmosphere to whoever passed there. The most bizarre thing was that it was somehow affecting the ammits, mist stalkers and panthers. The ammits seem to show some fondness toward the felines which was kind of strange.

Titania was surprised to find the piece of parchment transfigured itself. The words changes, replaces with clearer and full sentences. She read through the note, her curiosity deepened. She yelped and released the note when it starts to smoke, vanished as it was engulfed in flames...leaving ashes on the floor that resembled a snake. Titania didn’t really bother much about the reward but the mysteries grabbed her attention.. How Alethin gets hold of the love potion? Who would frame him? How did he escaped? And why did the stream stinks? Although the last question might or might be related.

But first...there are so many things that she have to get to. Ara was rather excited when they were heading over to the Artificer Shop.
“Careful Ara.. Don’t get too excited and break the ware.” She warned as she browsed through the shelves. Titania reached out and took the plushie bear egg but immediately put it back gingerly when she saw the price tag. 8,000 gold.. Well, that is going to leave a hole in her pocket. She decided to settle with a pack of light bulbs and kamitori. While she was about to pay, the shopkeeper exasperated when her assistant whispered into her ear.
“What do you mean the prototype is gone?!”
“It was still there yesterday before I closed the shop but now it is gone.. Nothing but this piece of scale.” He answered, holding up a tiny piece of black scale...
The shopkeeper sighed and massaged her head, waving him away. “Luckily it is just the prototype..” She murmured before turning back to Titania.

“That is all, deary?” She asked sweetly.
“Yes please.” She answered, debating whether to ask. “May I ask what kind of prototype that you mentioned have gone missing...if it not a secret?” She decided to ask while the shopkeeper wrapped the items carefully.
“Well… It is not much of a secret. Just a small snake like automaton that could turn into some keys. It is still a bit… hard to control since it only change other condition. It don’t even listen to the caster. That why we never sell one yet.” She explained, handling the ware over to Titania who thanked her. Titania thought the automaton was interesting, hoping that it would be further developed.

She didn’t have time to think further until later that night. Laying on her bed, everything flooded into her mind all at once. The disappearance of the prototype and the time Alethin managed to escape were too much of a coincidence. It was like putting 1+1 together and the answer was definitely 2. Alethin was a crafty person so it wouldn’t be surprising if he had find this way. Soon she felt asleep.

[Inspirit]

Few days later, something spine-chilling happened. Young ammits emerged from its eggs, either in green like a miststalker or pitch black like the telvian panther. Even though it is a big discovery but the hybridization between the creatures was rather horrendous. There had been reports of these creatures attacking magi that were passing by the nest.

Titania wrinkled and pitched her nose as she walked along the stream. Ara was rather enjoying the walk although she sneezed once a while. Titania watched as colourful eggs bobbed pass her but as her hands are already full of taking care her current batch of eggs, she made no attempt to reach out and grab one.

Her eyes widened when she saw some of the rocks by the bank were stained in pink. It is rather strange but her thoughts were cut short when she heard barking from the bushes as Ara was trying to get her attention. She quickened her steps over and watched as Ara barked at the tree, the base covered with thick bushes.
“Is there anything?” She asked, kneeling beside of Ara. Titania dug into the bushes, rummaging around until she touched onto something...something round and smooth. She reached out and pulled, her hand tightened around the neck of a round bottom flask. Her eyes squeezed, looking at the few droplets of pink liquid at the base of the flask.

---
Titania hastened along the corridors of The Keep. By the looks of the flask that Ara discovered, she had a pretty good idea who she should turn to. She left Ara behind, back in her room.

Huffing and almost out of breath, she stood in front of the door of the infamous grad, Kaiden Featherstone. She was about to knock when someone stopped her, gagged her before she could even squealed in surprise and pulled her away from the door. She wailed and tried to get away but her captor was much stronger than her.

Once they were safely in an empty classroom, her captor released her. Titania immediately whipped around and was indeed surprise to see Malcolm Fletcher, her close but troublemaker friend.
“What the h*ll?” She demanded.
“Don’t bother finding Kaiden. He wouldn’t even squeak to you even if you asked.” He smirked.
“What do you know about?” She challenged.
“More than you ever know. But if you have thought of finding Kaiden then we are on the same page.” He teased.
Titania crossed her arms together and rolled her eyes. She glared at him until Malcolm was feeling rather uncomfortable and broke down.

“As usual Kaiden has been brewing some potion. One of its which gave the concoction a bubbling pink colour. He has experimented with it but it didn’t work the way he wanted and so he has requested Talyn to help dump the lot somewhere. Kaiden doesn’t usually leave his room and Talyn being Talyn...he has agree to help. Talyn must have dropped a few flasks along the way and possibly Alethin picked it up.”

“So Alethin was caught because they couldn’t differentiate the colours of the potion?” Titania asked.
“Well that’s one point or..it is just another reason to catch Alethin. Anyway, both have almost similar effect” Malcolm shrugged.
“How did you know all of this?” She asked curiously as she eyed narrowly at him.
“Who knows?” He continued to smirk, one hand reached into his pocket. "I might hear them talking to each other somewhere." He added.
There might be another side to the mystery but for now, Titania is content with this one until she encounters more clues.

So all of this turned out to be a big misunderstanding but Kaiden’s breeding potion isn’t a big failure after all. It somehow gives a big impact to the society and whether the changes is good or bad...is yet another story.