BlightGiver
Professional Brick Thrower
"Not a single lick of hard evidence." Lord El Melloi II grumbled, tossing the case folder onto his desk in a huff. He had been given obnoxious assignments by the Association in the past, but this one definitely took the cake. With the setting sun shining in through the windows, he sat down at his desk and started to tense his temples. "This job is giving me more wrinkles by the day." He muttered, reaching for a cigar out of his top desk drawer. His students and even Gray had been getting on his case about quitting the stuff lately, yet he wasn't ready for that. Hell, he wasn't sure if he ever would be. The daily gripes and toils of leading a Department at the Clocktower required something to take the load off and there sure were a lot worse things he could be doing.
It wasn't as if he truly aimed to set an example for his students and colleagues, that wasn't ever what he was about. Sure, he took his role seriously, but he did hope for the life of comfort that everyone wishes for. Twirling the cigar around in his fingers, El-Melloi II sighed and dropped the stimulant back into its drawer. "Save it for a rainy day." He convinced himself, anxious to get this day over with and go home to do anything he found relaxing, even getting back to playing a game he had taken a break from. Sitting back in his chair, he couldn't help but leer at the case folder he had tossed aside.
It was a devastating blow to the Clocktower on the night of the discovery. Lord Rufleus Nuada-Re Eulyphis, the experienced Lord of the Department of Spiritual Evocation was found deceased in his office at the Clocktower. Being so old in age, it would not have been an issue to assume he passed of natural causes. Yet, the manner that the corpse was found made it blatantly clear there was trouble abound. Stuck in his chair, Lord Rufleus' eyes was hazy and gray, staring down at his own chest. One would do the same if they too had found a gaping hole in their abdomen. From the state of the wound, it was clearly not a surgical procedure, evident of having been a violent event. Even weirder was the direction of the injury, should that something had occurred, bursting out from within. Theories were passed around that it was a self-made wound, or that he had even swallowed an explosive device of some kind that went off.
While still plausible, in some crazy way, theorizing was put on hold, with the discovery of a note left by the late Lord right as he perished. The investigative team wished it had useful information, yet were dejected when it only said "EYE". The state of the handwriting led to the conclusion Lord Rufleus made the note in haste, just as he was dying or right before it happened. Of course, it was anything but a lead. The late Lord's eyes were examined, yet there was nothing amiss with them. Possible drawings or incantations in the shape of an eye were searched for, but none were found. Observational devices and similar magic were checked for; still no results.
Worried for their own safety more than anything else, the other Lords conversed and had El-Melloi II be the one to head the investigation completely. Outraged at bearing all the responsibility in this case, El-Melloi II begrudgingly understood this was how the world of magecraft works. Mages look out for themselves first and foremost, followed closely by the magic surviving their future lineages. As respected as he was, he had developed a reputation for being a sort of "problem solver" for the Clocktower, solving cases like a character from some childhood cartoon or book.
At its core, this was no different from any other occasion; at least it would have been that way if a development from the Holy Church didn't hint at some connection to the dead Lord. One lone Executor tracking down a rogue Mage in Austria led to a brutal showdown, wherein the Mage died in a manner similar to Lord Rufleus, and the Mage's sacrificial victims freed themselves and disappeared out of sight. The Executor was no amateur, with a reputation to prove it in the Church, so his account was taken as near truth. From there, the stage was set: the Holy Church and Association would cooperate on this case. Initially, it would have been directly; El-Melloi II knew better however, convincing both sides to put forth members to form a temporary team instead. That was the option that was chosen.
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Gray had been a bit aloof ever since learning of Lord Rufleus' murder; not surprising, considering the brutality of it. She never was one for the more gory aspects of working with her master, despite the constant flack from Add telling her to toughen up. Even after all these years, she still felt like the same meek girl working as an apprentice. Her appearance had thankfully changed over the years, resembling the detested Saber less and less each year. "Or maybe that's just what the king looks like older," Add had once jeered, ensuring Gray still was self-conscious of her appearance.
Sitting in Lord El Melloi II's office, Gray remained silent as her master mulled over the sadly thin case file. They were scheduled to meet the team members tonight, a later time chosen for the sake of the Clocktower's inhabitants to not see what they might not like. Lightly pulling her hood further over her face, she couldn't help but have to ask, "Will there be enough time for us to solve this case?" That question was more dangerous than who did it or where the evidence to prove it is. Everyone seemed to have an uncanny realization that there was an unknown time limit at play here. If not for the Lords or rogue Mages, then who? The Association? The Church? It could be anyone or no one.
Lord El-Melloi II, no, Waver Velvet hated not knowing. The more questions left unanswered, the more uneasy he could become. It takes a lot to rile him up, but something here was different. Regardless, now would begin the true operation; Team Eye for an Eye was inbound and he would have to provide them with his expertise as they did the same in turn. History was to be made this day, for the Church, the Association and the entire world of Magecraft.
Gundam Watcher 27 Nellancholy juiceboxxparty galvanismgal
It wasn't as if he truly aimed to set an example for his students and colleagues, that wasn't ever what he was about. Sure, he took his role seriously, but he did hope for the life of comfort that everyone wishes for. Twirling the cigar around in his fingers, El-Melloi II sighed and dropped the stimulant back into its drawer. "Save it for a rainy day." He convinced himself, anxious to get this day over with and go home to do anything he found relaxing, even getting back to playing a game he had taken a break from. Sitting back in his chair, he couldn't help but leer at the case folder he had tossed aside.
It was a devastating blow to the Clocktower on the night of the discovery. Lord Rufleus Nuada-Re Eulyphis, the experienced Lord of the Department of Spiritual Evocation was found deceased in his office at the Clocktower. Being so old in age, it would not have been an issue to assume he passed of natural causes. Yet, the manner that the corpse was found made it blatantly clear there was trouble abound. Stuck in his chair, Lord Rufleus' eyes was hazy and gray, staring down at his own chest. One would do the same if they too had found a gaping hole in their abdomen. From the state of the wound, it was clearly not a surgical procedure, evident of having been a violent event. Even weirder was the direction of the injury, should that something had occurred, bursting out from within. Theories were passed around that it was a self-made wound, or that he had even swallowed an explosive device of some kind that went off.
While still plausible, in some crazy way, theorizing was put on hold, with the discovery of a note left by the late Lord right as he perished. The investigative team wished it had useful information, yet were dejected when it only said "EYE". The state of the handwriting led to the conclusion Lord Rufleus made the note in haste, just as he was dying or right before it happened. Of course, it was anything but a lead. The late Lord's eyes were examined, yet there was nothing amiss with them. Possible drawings or incantations in the shape of an eye were searched for, but none were found. Observational devices and similar magic were checked for; still no results.
Worried for their own safety more than anything else, the other Lords conversed and had El-Melloi II be the one to head the investigation completely. Outraged at bearing all the responsibility in this case, El-Melloi II begrudgingly understood this was how the world of magecraft works. Mages look out for themselves first and foremost, followed closely by the magic surviving their future lineages. As respected as he was, he had developed a reputation for being a sort of "problem solver" for the Clocktower, solving cases like a character from some childhood cartoon or book.
At its core, this was no different from any other occasion; at least it would have been that way if a development from the Holy Church didn't hint at some connection to the dead Lord. One lone Executor tracking down a rogue Mage in Austria led to a brutal showdown, wherein the Mage died in a manner similar to Lord Rufleus, and the Mage's sacrificial victims freed themselves and disappeared out of sight. The Executor was no amateur, with a reputation to prove it in the Church, so his account was taken as near truth. From there, the stage was set: the Holy Church and Association would cooperate on this case. Initially, it would have been directly; El-Melloi II knew better however, convincing both sides to put forth members to form a temporary team instead. That was the option that was chosen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gray had been a bit aloof ever since learning of Lord Rufleus' murder; not surprising, considering the brutality of it. She never was one for the more gory aspects of working with her master, despite the constant flack from Add telling her to toughen up. Even after all these years, she still felt like the same meek girl working as an apprentice. Her appearance had thankfully changed over the years, resembling the detested Saber less and less each year. "Or maybe that's just what the king looks like older," Add had once jeered, ensuring Gray still was self-conscious of her appearance.
Sitting in Lord El Melloi II's office, Gray remained silent as her master mulled over the sadly thin case file. They were scheduled to meet the team members tonight, a later time chosen for the sake of the Clocktower's inhabitants to not see what they might not like. Lightly pulling her hood further over her face, she couldn't help but have to ask, "Will there be enough time for us to solve this case?" That question was more dangerous than who did it or where the evidence to prove it is. Everyone seemed to have an uncanny realization that there was an unknown time limit at play here. If not for the Lords or rogue Mages, then who? The Association? The Church? It could be anyone or no one.
Lord El-Melloi II, no, Waver Velvet hated not knowing. The more questions left unanswered, the more uneasy he could become. It takes a lot to rile him up, but something here was different. Regardless, now would begin the true operation; Team Eye for an Eye was inbound and he would have to provide them with his expertise as they did the same in turn. History was to be made this day, for the Church, the Association and the entire world of Magecraft.
Gundam Watcher 27 Nellancholy juiceboxxparty galvanismgal