I’ve been thinking about the concept of omnipotence a lot lately. It’s rather interesting, don’t you think? The idea that someone or something knows all and has unlimited power and influence. It’s something we associate with deities. But depending on the religion or mythology, this power is beyond even that of the gods.

Just look at the gods and goddesses from Greek myths. They all have their specific sets of powers and responsibilities. Poseidon, god of all things water, earthquakes, and horses, Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and love, or my personal favorite, Aletheia, goddess of truth. All of them are powerful but not omnipotent.

If this power is considered too much even for some deities, it is quite interesting, seeing how believers in an omnipotent being see said god and how they behave, based on that. Do they leave everything up to fate, do they beg for a good life, or do they behave especially well and work hard, believing always to be watched and judged? Or maybe they simply excuse all their actions, just stating they are acting by an arbitrary set of rules, allegedly crafted by their all-knowing deity? An interesting thing to consider, in my opinion.

Something that really strikes me is how intangible this concept is, even compared to other abstract ideas. I mean, the closest thing we can point to as a comparison to omnipotent beings is an author. Hear me out. They create entire worlds, know everything about them, and are able to make anything happen in them. And yes, I know how far removed from actual omnipotence that is, but that’s the point I’m trying to make.

But why am I even talking about this? It’s to address a question some of my readers must have wondered about already. How do I know all these events I’m telling you about? I’m writing them down as if I were there when they happened, yet I’ve never mentioned actually being present during the events. So, am I just making all these events up? Not in the slightest, all I am telling you is the truth, even if I might ignore some details. But how do I know? Am I some sort of omnipotent deity, or maybe at least omniscient? Am I all-knowing instead of all-powerful? Maybe I am, but in that case, you should ask yourself, should you fear me, or do I only have good intentions? Perhaps just keep that in mind.

But I know some of you don’t want to listen to my ramblings, so how about we move on? And as fate would have it, our case today revolves around believing in a higher being. An absolutely uncontroversial topic. Let’s get to it.

Case #56: The Jade Corpses

Friday, April 26, 2:30 pm: D&M Detective Agency, Ashbypond

Xavier was sitting in his office, editing a video on his computer. The sound of jazz music could be heard, coming from Alice’s room.

Xavier looked up from his screen as Amy entered the office. “Already back?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? We spent 5 hours working out new ideas. I’m creatively burned out.”

“Does that include the time you spent eating ice cream?” Xavier asked, smiling.

“What, how did you…?”

“There’s a small stain on your shoe. Some of the ice cream must have dripped down.”

“You’re right. That must have happened when I held the ice cream for Abby. She said she needed some to regain energy.”

“You didn’t have any?”

“It’s not really the season for ice cream yet.”

“If you say so. Did you at least get some progress done?” Xavier asked with interest.

“We’re currently working on the worldbuilding. The game will take place in a modern city, with many old-school RPG tropes built in. We have to find a way to balance the setting with all the aspects that come with the genre, before we can get fully started.”

“Sounds interesting, even though I have no idea what it means.”

I might have to elaborate on something at this point. After the last case I told you about, Amy had kept in contact with Ms. Walker and had been offered a job by her, as the main programmer and part of the creative team of Crazy Narwhal Games. Since then, they’ve been working on a new big project, as you just read.

“Oh, Xavier, I thought we could go to the cinema together this evening,” Amy suggested nervously.

“Is there something worth watching?” Xavier asked.

“I saw that a new sequel to your favorite movie is out.”

“I totally forgot, you’re right. I’ve been waiting so long for The Chonchon’s Final Song.”

For those that don’t know Xavier’s admittedly niche favorite film series, it’s a trilogy of musical movies, following a fictional Argentinian youth band making it big internationally and all the drama that comes with that. These movies are some of the few that Xavier actually watches, as he doesn’t like movies all that much.

“Have you watched the first two?” Xavier asked.

“No, but I thought I could read a summary before wa…”

“That won’t do, you won’t get all the juicy details. The character arcs and relationships are what make these movies so good, and you can’t get all that from a summary.”

“I guess not.”

“What time is the movie?”

“8 pm today.”

“Okay, that’s enough time to watch the others.”

“You wanna do a marathon?” Amy asked excitedly.
“Absolutely, can you get us some snacks?”

“Sure, what do you want?”

“Just bring whatever feels right. I’ll go get Alice.”

“Wait, why?” Amy looked at him, trying to hide her disappointment.

“She’s barely left her room lately. Some socializing would probably be good for her.”

“I’m not sure this is her kind of movie.”

“I think she’ll like it.”

“If you think so,” Amy said, walking into the kitchen to grab some snacks for the others.

Xavier knocked on Alice’s door. She opened it just enough for Xavier to see one of her eyes, peeking outside.

“What do you want?”

“Come, we’re watching some movies.”

“I can’t, I’m this close to finishing my secret project.”

“What kind of project?”

“What about secret do you not understand, Sherlock?”

“Just thought you might tell me.”

“I’ll show you when it’s finished. I still need to make some tests and small adjustments. Have fun watching the movies.” She closed her door and turned the music back on.

“Alice, these movies are a mandatory team-building exercise!”

“Just let her work on whatever it is she’s working on.” Amy pulled him over in front of the TV. She had already put out a bowl of nettle chips and a cup of durian tea for Xavier.

“Okay, but she has no idea what she’s missing.”

Xavier’s phone rang. “Hello, D&M Detective Agency. How may I help?” Xavier listened, smiling.

“Of course, I know it’s you, I’m just joking. How’ve you been?”

As Xavier listened to the person, his expression became serious. “Are you okay? What happened?”

Amy tried to hear what was being said. She had no idea who he was talking to.

Xavier noticed and nodded. “Hey, is it okay if I put you on speaker? My colleague is here with me.

Amy could now hear the voice of a woman. “So, is it true that you also take on cases in other states?”

“Of course, especially for you. So, what’s the case about? Was someone murdered, or are you dealing with seemingly supernatural happenings?”

“No, none of that, it’s about my mom. You have to save her.”

Xavier and Amy looked at each other in surprise. Alice had been listening to the conversation through the door and had left her room.

“So is your mom being threatened?” Amy asked.

“Or maybe she’s being held captive,” Alice guessed.

“Is that your colleague speaking?”

“Yes, well, two of them. Those are Amy and Alice.”

“I understand.”

“So, what is going on with your mom?” Alice asked.

“Well, she’s…” The woman hesitated. “She’s part of a cult.”

“What?!” the three said in unison.

“Yes, she joined the Disciples of Dei. She’s been sending me letters, telling me to join as well. I don’t know what to do.”

“Ryles, I don’t know…,” Xavier began.

“That’s not really a case for detectives. If she’s dumb enough to fall for that, she can do so. Just cut contact with her. She sounds like a lost cause,” Alice said.

Xavier and Amy gave her angry looks.

“I know, but I’ve heard some bad things about the group. I just want you to show her proof. It’s up to her if she wants to stay, but I want her to at least know who she’s associating with.”

“I’ve actually heard of that cult before,” Amy said. “I read an article about them, but from what I read, they’re actually not all that bad. They mainly talk about community and inclusivity. But I guess that’s no guarantee.”

“Why do you think it’s a scam?” Xavier asked.

“Besides the fact that it’s at the center of every religion, cult, and sect,” Alice added sarcastically.

“If you officially join the cult, you have to move into one of their communes and give all your belongings as a sacrifice to Dei, their goddess. You then work for the commune, doing jobs like cooking, tailoring, or farming. All in the name of supplying the commune and to appease Dei. Apparently, there are also some jobs that exclusively create sacrifices to Dei, like the alchemists.”

“Supplying the commune makes sense, I guess, but some of that stuff certainly sounds sketchy,” Amy admitted. “What do they need alchemists for?”

“Probably best if we check it out,” Xavier suggested.

“You’d do that?! Thank you, Xavi!”

“No problem, Ryles.”

“Do you have any idea how to get inside? I assume we can’t just walk into the commune,” Amy said.

Alice started grinning. “This seems like the perfect opportunity to test my secret weapon. The Crimebuster, the ultimate infiltration tool.”

“What?” Amy asked, confused, while Alice ran into her room.

“I think I’ve heard that name before,” Xavier said, tapping his forehead.

“Is it something like Ghostbusters?” Ryleigh wondered.

“No, not that. Why can’t I think of it?”

“I think there’s an old comic book with that name,” Amy said.

“That’s not it either.”

They could hear a ruckus coming from Alice’s room, as she was frantically searching through her stuff.

“I have no idea what the Crimebuster is, but I think it’s not the best idea to sneak in. They have armed guards,” Ryleigh explained.

“Wait, what?!” Amy said, shocked.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mess with them. But I have an idea, how to get inside. My mom told me they give tours to potential recruits. Obviously, they only show you what they want you to see, but at least you get in that way.”

“Great idea, Ryles. Maybe we even get a chance to sneak off and investigate further.”

“Good, the tours are every Sunday. Can you make it this weekend?”

“I’m not busy. Where is the commune?” Xavier asked.

“Right, I almost forgot. My mom is in the main commune. It’s on the coast of New Hampshire, in a small village called Stony Shores. I’ll send you the address.”

“We could make it. We can take Ralph’s car. He’s not home right now anyway.”

“Good, to be honest, I’m already on my way there.”

“Is it that important that it’s this weekend?” Amy asked, curious.

“I guess it doesn’t have to be this Sunday, but I thought it would be best to pick a day on which the leaders are busy with other things. That way, they’re paying less attention to us. And on that they some special event starts, where representatives from the other communes meet there.”

“You’ve thought about everything. You’re still as smart as always,” Xavier complimented Ryleigh.

Amy glared at the phone.

“How about we meet there tomorrow? That way, we can go over the plan and make preparations,” Xavier suggested.

“Sure, I’ll be there. I assume you’ll get there sometime in the afternoon, right?”

“Probably.”

“Okay, I’ll see you there. And thanks for your help.” Ryleigh hung up.

“That means we’ll be leaving tomorrow in the early morning,” Amy realized.

“Yeah. We’ll have to delay the movie marathon. We should do some research to prepare, and I’ll go get the car.”

“I understand,” Amy said, disappointed.

At that moment, the door to Alice’s room opened, and she stepped out. Dressed in a bulky, black suit that was padded and armored, including a balaclava and a helmet. Her crowbar was holstered on her back like a sword, while her taser was attached to her belt.

“What the hell is that?!” Amy said, confused.

“What do you think?”

“You look like Batman,” Xavier answered.

“To me, she looks more like Black Noir.”

“Who?” Alice and Xavier asked at the same time.

“Doesn’t matter.”

“You’re both wrong, this isn’t some stupid cosplay, it’s the Crimebuster, perfect for spying and infiltrating. I might make you some as well, then we have an entire set of three Crimebusters.”

“No thanks,” Xavier said.

“Yeah, it seems a bit impractical.”

“You just don’t get it.”

“We don’t need it anyway. We’ll take part in a tour and try to sneak off, once we’re inside,” Xavier explained.

“You’ll just get caught. I’ll simply break in during the night.”

“They have armed guards,” Amy said.

“Nothing the Crimebuster couldn’t handle. I had Ralph whip up some more cabrerium using Mr. Cabrera's notes and equipment. This suit is plated with thin pieces of cabrerium. And before you ask, yes, I’ve waterproofed it.”

“If you’re that sure, we might have the best chance if we try both plans,” Amy suggested.

“No, it’s too risky, we can’t split up,” Xavier said.

“I agree with Amy, splitting up gives us a better chance to find something out.”

“We shouldn’t risk it. Splitting up in our line of work can quickly be the end of us. This isn’t Scooby Doo,” Xavier protested.

“How about we check out the situation when we get there and decide then?” Amy suggested.

“Fine, if that’s what you want. But it could be really dangerous for her.”

“I’m wearing protective gear. You should worry about your own well-being.”

“Just keep your phone on you, so we can check in on you,” Amy demanded.

“Don’t worry, I need it anyway.” Alice pulled out the phone Xavier had bought her a few weeks ago. It was mainly intended for cases, but she’d used it mostly to listen to music and read webcomics.

“Okay, let’s prepare for tomorrow. We’ll leave at 6:30 am.”

“What, that early?!” Alice said, surprised.

“Prepare everything and get enough sleep,” Xavier said.

The three spent the rest of the day preparing for the mission.

Saturday, April 27, 6:30 am, D&M Detective Agency, Ashbypond

After waking up and getting dressed, Xavier quickly grabbed some breakfast and prepared some sandwiches for the trip. With a jam-covered slice of bread in his mouth, he hammered against Alice’s door, only getting an annoyed groan in return.

After getting ready, he leaned against the car, finishing his breakfast.

Alice left the house, wandering mindlessly like a zombie over to the car, dropping onto the backseat and immediately falling asleep, ignoring the sandwiches Xavier had prepared for her, which she was currently lying on top of.

A few minutes later, Amy came running out of the house, a jacket under her arm, and her hair wet.

“Sorry, I had to take a quick shower.”

“Did you go jogging before this?” Xavier asked.

“Yeah, I go jogging every morning.”

“When did you wake up?” Xavier asked, concerned.

“About 5 am.”

“Couldn’t you just skip jogging today or do it when we get there?”

“That’s a dangerous slope. You skip it one day at first. Then you skip it another day, and then another. Before you realize it, you gave up on it completely.”

“Have I ever told you that your lifestyle worries me sometimes?” Xavier asked.

“You’ve brought it up a few times. And I told you every time, not to worry.”

“I made you some breakfast. Thankfully, I put yours in the glove compartment, or Alice would have squished it too.”

“Thanks, but I already ate breakfast.”

“Okay, you know where the sandwiches are, in case you get hungry.”

They drove off, listening to Amy’s playlists, consisting mainly of videogame soundtracks, while talking about different things. All the while, Alice was sleeping in the back.

Saturday, April 27, 10:40 am: Gas station, Near Albany

After driving for a while, Xavier stopped the car and went outside.

“Are we there yet?” Alice asked while getting up.

“Look who’s finally awake,” Amy said teasingly.

“What are we listening to?” Alice asked, annoyed.

“The current playlist is mainly different videogame soundtracks.”

Exhausted, Alice reached for Amy’s phone, unlocked it, and went through her Spotify playlists.

“How did you unlock my phone?”

“We have the same fingerprint, doofus.”

“Oh, right.”

“You don’t have anything good downloaded. No worries, I’ve got you covered.” Alice pulled her phone out, connected it to the car radio, and switched the music to smooth jazz.

“So, the first thing you do when you’re finally awake is critique my taste in music?”
“I used to exclusively listen to video game music, too. Believe me, I’m doing you a favor.”

The car door opened, and Xavier sat back down. He put a bag of salmon-flavored chips and a bottle of banana lemonade next to his seat.

“Here, we both know you’ve barely eaten anything,” Xavier said, handing Amy a small salad.

“Wait, you haven’t eaten your sandwiches? Can I have them?” Alice asked enthusiastically.

Not saying anything, Amy grabbed the sandwiches and handed them to her doppelganger.

She was about to put the salad in the glove compartment when Xavier gave her an angry stare.

“You really need to eat something.”

“I’m just saving it for later.”

“Amy!”

“What? I’m just not hungry.” At that moment, her stomach made a loud grumbling sound, and Amy felt a sharp pain.

“See, just eat the salad.”

Amy looked at the salad. A feeling of disgust overcame her.

“I’m not really in the mood for…”

“Just eat the damn salad!” Alice yelled, her mouth full. “You’re starting to sound like my mom!”

“Fine, but stop staring, it makes me uncomfortable.”

Xavier started the motor and drove off. “How about, now that everyone is awake, we exchange what we found out for this investigation?”

“Go on, I didn’t do any research,” Alice said.

“You’re planning on breaking into a highly guarded cult building, and you didn’t prepare?” Amy asked, confused.

“I didn’t say that. I just didn’t do any research. It’s not like I can just look up secret entrances into the cult building online. So I spent the time fully finishing the Crimebuster.”

“I guess that’s reasonable, the thing is basically your lifeline. How about I start?”

“Go ahead,” Xavier said, focusing on the road.

“The Disciples of Dei came to life about 15 years ago. They primarily advertised themselves on various social media sites, which were rapidly gaining popularity at the time. Back then, they didn’t have a commune or a base of operation. From what is publicly known, it is challenging to define the beliefs, as they appear contradictory in parts, depending on where you look. But it seems like they mainly mixed different elements from other religions and superstitions. They also often talk about things like minimalism, tying in with the concept of giving up your possessions as a sacrifice.”

Xavier continued her report. “They seem to try to appeal to different people by including elements people are familiar with, concepts like karma or different afterlives. But things like minimalism seem to mainly serve them as a way to get their hands on money and valuables.”

“Yeah, they generally pick exactly the parts of belief systems they can use for their own good. Their form of minimalism also ties in with cutting contact with the outside. About 10 years ago, they introduced the concept of refusing modern technology for the most part.”
“What, like the Amish?” Alice asked.

“Not exactly, but it seems to be a similar idea.”

“Quite ironic that they use the internet to advertise themselves,” Xavier said.

“Yes, but if you think about it, it’s the perfect plan. If you’re on a platform like Twitter or Facebook, it’s not rare to wish, just to get away from all of it,” Amy pointed out.

“No reason to join a cult,” Alice said before taking another bite of her sandwich.

“I actually learned that in some ways, their refusal to use technology, ignoring the means to advertise the cult, is pretty extreme. For example, they don’t even use cameras. That even includes those old, boxy ones that use dry plates. So, they basically don’t have any means of taking pictures. And that’s not the only technology they refuse. They don’t use any kind of lamps besides fire-based ones. Lanterns, torches, candles, that sort of stuff,” Amy explained.

“Weirdos. And what about those communes?” Alice asked.

“I did some research on that,” Xavier said, while swallowing a handful of chips.

“There are currently five communes, with the one in New Hampshire being the first and central one. It’s dedicated to the Diamond Clan and was created about 10 years ago.”

“Diamond Clan?” Alice repeated, confused.

“They call the people in the different communes clans. And all the communes are named after some kind of gemstone or something of the sort. Diamond in New Hampshire, Ruby in Virginia, Topaz in Minnesota, Jade in California, and Sapphire in Colorado. They allegedly represent attributes of those clans, but those characteristics don’t align with any interpretations I could find online. And it’s not the only esoteric thing they rely on and completely butcher. The high-ranking members are given a title based on the major arcana of tarot cards, the members have a tattoo of their star sign where they draw their energy from, and their entire understanding of deities is basically copied from Chariot of the Gods.”

“What?” Alice asked with a full mouth.

“It’s a book that basically poses the theory that what ancient civilizations perceived as gods were actually just aliens, who came to Earth and built things like the pyramids. It’s really strange and has some questionable undertones.”

“You mentioned the tattoos. I actually learned something about those, “Amy started talking. “Only the Diamond Clan has them. Apparently, many of the teachings and methods are currently exclusive to that clan.”

“That’s probably why they’re meeting with representatives from the other clans,” Xavier theorized.

They kept talking about different things they had found out, mostly just confusing Alice more.

Saturday, April 27, 2:10 pm: Town center, Stony Shores

As they drove into the small town, it seemed almost abandoned. Even for a small town like this, there was an unexpectedly small number of people walking around.

Most of the buildings were over a century old and hadn’t been renovated since, with some of them close to falling apart.

The one exception was a large mansion on the outskirts of town. It stood on the peak of a cliff, directly next to the ocean. A long fence marked the enormous size of the property.

Even from this distance, it was obvious that the old building had been maintained much better than the others. It was likely significantly older but regularly improved upon. The exterior resembled a blend of various styles, mainly a large Victorian mansion and a castle. 

An absurd look that stands as a reminder that someone can, in fact, have too much money, if you ask me.

To me personally, the building behind the mansion is much more fascinating. A large lighthouse stood right on the edge of the cliff, slightly leaning over the abyss yet not falling.

“I assume that’s the commune,” Alice said as she was getting out of the car.

They had parked in front of one of the old buildings that seemed abandoned.

“We should probably not discuss our plans publicly. What if some member hears us?”, Xavier pointed out.

“Don’t worry, the members don’t leave the commune. Besides some rare exceptions.”

The three turned around to see a blonde woman their age leaving the house.

“Ryles!” Xavier walked up to her and hugged her.

“Xavi, nice to see you again.”

Amy rolled her eyes and turned back to the mansion.

“I should introduce you. You’ve only heard each other over the phone after all. This is Ryleigh. Ryleigh, these two are Amy and Alice.”

“Nice to meet you. I thought your voices sounded similar on the phone. I guess that makes sense for twins.” She held out her hand to greet them, but Alice just calmly nodded, and Amy remained focused on the commune building.

“Anyways, thanks again for helping me. It means a lot.”

“No worries. How could I say no to you?” Xavier said.

They walked inside the house and sat down at a table that had recently been wiped clean, seeing as most of the other furniture was covered in dust.

“You said you have a plan prepared for us. Can you elaborate?” Amy asked.

“Yes, well, I’ve already told you most of it. But I’ve used my time here to stake out the area and gather some info.”

“What did you find out?” Xavier asked.

“I talked to some residents. Seems like the cult is a thorn in their side. It gives the town a bad rep and is slowly turning it into a ghost town.”

“To be fair, I would not want to live in a town with a cult in it either,” Amy said.

“You’re not alone in that. Especially young people are leaving because of this, as well as the town’s general isolation. But to get back to the plan. I’ve checked out the property from afar. There’s definitely a ton of guards. I can tell you they don’t look friendly. I’m talking about some medieval shit like actual swords and armors.”

“See, it’s absolutely not a good idea to sneak in!” Xavier said, pleading for Alice to agree.

“In case you forgot. You guys are sneaking in, too. Even if they let you in, you intend to see more than they want you to. The only difference between our approaches is that they’re aware of your presence, while I stay hidden.”

“I do have to agree with her. Even if it seems counterintuitive, her approach might genuinely be the safer one,” Amy argued in Alice’s defense. “And don’t forget, she’s experienced with unlawful entry.”

“Thank you.”

“So, you’re going with two strategies?” Ryleigh asked.

“No!”

“Yes, we are,” Alice said, quickly shutting Xavier up. “In case you forgot, I’m an official member of the agency, so I get a say in our plans.”

“If I understand, your plan is to break in while we take the tour, right?”

“I’d probably do it tonight. Best to use the dark to my advantage.”

“Maybe you should check out the library, as far as I know, they have documents on the old buildings around here in storage. Maybe it’ll help you,” Ryleigh suggested.

“Good idea, I’ll do that.”

“A small town like this can keep a library afloat?” Xavier asked.

“Barely. It’s run by an old couple that seems to do it mainly out of passion. It also serves as a small store, so they at least make some of the money for the upkeep that way.”

“Besides the concerning level of security, could you find out anything else?” Xavier asked.

“I checked out the home of the Hermit as we’ll need to go there tomorrow.”

Alice had an annoyed look on her face and raised her hand. “I have a question, am I the only one who’s not getting any of this? I think I’ve heard more confusing terminology in this case than in chemistry class.”

“Maybe you should have done some research, then we wouldn’t have to explain to you every second word,” Amy said, taunting her.

“Sorry that I’m not that passionate about this case. I already said that I don’t see the point in this investigation. All these people chose to be dumbasses and to get scammed. Let them live in ignorance of their own stupidity.”

“If you don’t see the point, why are you here?” Xavier asked.

“One, it’s my job, two, I want to test the Crimebuster.”

“As long as you don’t let your lack of interest affect your performance, that’s not a problem,” Amy stated, slightly worried about Alice.

Ryleigh spoke up, “To give you an explanation, the high-ranking members are named after tarot cards.”

 “I’ve been told as much.”

“Good, well, they also serve different purposes. The Hermit, for example, lives outside of the commune in a small house. That house is where guests and new members go to be picked up and brought into the commune. Normally, that happens on Sundays, as I’ve told you, but today the representatives of the other clans also gathered there.”

“Did you get a good look at them?” Xavier asked.

“No, I was too busy with other investigations and missed them.”

“Maybe we’ll see them tomorrow,” Amy said.

“To me, all of this sounds like absolute nonsense, and everyone who’s too dumb to notice those massive red flags deserves what happens to them.”

“Alice, you can’t say that in front of Ryleigh, you’re talking about her mother!” Amy said, even though her tone made it clear that she at least partially agreed with her.

“I just want it to be on record that as soon as the situation gets dicey, I’m out, and I recommend you do the same. In the end, we’re gonna be called the actual criminals for breaking and entering or discriminating against religious freedom,” Alice said, annoyed.

“Just ignore her. Is there anything else you can tell us about that building? The more information we have, the better,” Xavier said, while Alice angrily left the room.

“Not much. The vehicle that serves as the connection between it and the commune is a horse-drawn carriage, driven by the Chariot, another high-ranking member. Additionally, I've heard that a truck visits the building every Wednesday to pick up something, but I don’t know what. Probably some kind of goods the cult is producing and selling.”

“Thanks for all the info. I guess we’ll have to find out the rest for ourselves tomorrow,” Xavier said.

Ryleigh and Xavier decided to use some time drinking tea and catching up, while Amy left to look for Alice.

Saturday, April 27, 2:30 pm: Hideout, Stony Shores

It didn’t take long for Amy to find Alice, as there were only a few rooms in the old building.

Alice was sitting in an old leather chair. The stuffing came out of multiple holes in the piece of furniture. She was staring, annoyed at the Crimebuster lying in front of her.

“Can I come in?” Amy asked while standing in the doorframe that was missing a door.

“Sure, if you can stand the stench of self-pity.”

“What’s up with you? Yesterday, you were so excited about the case, and now you’re acting like an angry child.”

“I don’t know. I mean, I was more excited to test the Crimebuster than about the case. But the more I think about it, the more it annoys me.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing else going on?”

“It’s just, I feel kind of directionless, I guess. I find it hard to really see my place in this team. There really isn’t much that I add. Xavier solved our last case on his own, while I just followed his orders.“

“Who says you don’t have a place in this group?”

“It kinda feels like whatever I can do, one of you can do better. I’m not dumb, but both of you are smarter than I in different ways. And I’m strong, but not as strong as Xavier. Just think back to last month. You were taken hostage, and I couldn’t do anything. And in comes Xavier to save you.”

“So, you built the Crimebuster to save people? Like a superhero?”

“I guess. I know it’s kind of dumb, but I wish I could use it to actually save some innocent people that are in danger, not just to talk some sense into a bunch of idiots.”

“Maybe see it like this, the cult leaders are also bringing pain to people like Ryleigh or the citizens of this town. They didn’t fall for the cult’s bullshit, but they’re still suffering from it. Maybe you can do it for them.”

“Sure, that certainly seems more admirable,” Alice answered, still sounding unsure.

Amy picked up the Crimebuster and started inspecting it. “This is pretty impressive. Where did you learn to sew?”

“Blair and I worked on an upcycling project. I guess I picked it up from there.”

“See, that’s something else only you can do. Xavier and I can’t sew.”

“Yeah, a great skill to have as an investigator,” Alice chuckled.

 Amy picked up the helmet. “What’s the wiring for?”

“The helmet includes a mic and headphones.”

“Really?! I would have never guessed. It looks way too thin for that.”

“I had to cram it all very tight. But it’s pretty messy, I’m sure you would have done a better job.”
“Believe me, my work is messy as well.”

“Something we have in common, I guess. Does it go in your notebook?” Alice asked.

“There’s no need for that.”

Alice stood up. “I should probably head out and do some research.”

“Finally, you realize,” Amy said, smiling.

After Alice had left, Amy walked back to the others, seemingly walking in as they were talking about some old stories from high school. They both sat at the table, giggling about something.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, we just talked about our first date.” Ryleigh tried to get her laughter under control.

Amy forced a smile. “So, you two were a couple?”

“Yes, during our sophomore year in high school. Although I don’t know how that worked out, considering how bad our first date went,” Xavier explained.

“Okay, picture this. We’re outside of Lawreyville, sitting on a small hill, having set up everything for a romantic picnic, but it turns out, this dummy forgot all the food. So, he calls Natsu, and the poor guy has to ride his bike all the way to us to bring us the food. And then, when he wants to leave, it starts to rain, like a ton, so the three of us end up huddled under the single tree. Pretty sure poor Natsu could have died right there from awkwardness.” Ryleigh stopped laughing as she noticed Xavier’s expression turn sad.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of that.”

“No, it’s alright. I’ll find him and it will all be great again.”

“Find him? But I thought…” Amy made a gesture for Ryleigh to shut her mouth.

“I’m sorry, where is the bathroom?” Xavier asked, averting his face.

“Up the stairs and the first door on the left.”

Xavier walked away.

“Did I get some wrong information? I was told Natsu died.”

“I don’t know much about the situation, but he’s been pronounced dead. There are apparently some weird circumstances surrounding it, and the police never found his body. I assume this is Xavier’s way of coping, seeing it as just another case he needs to solve.”

“I see.” It was obvious that Ryleigh was overcome with conflicting emotions.

Saturday, April 27, 2:45 pm: Library, Stony Shores

A small bell rang as Alice entered the library. The entrance area was lined with a few shelves, stocked with various kinds of food, sanitary products, magazines, and other basic products.

Further in the back were larger shelves jock full of books.

She walked around for a while until she stumbled upon an old man stocking one of the bookshelves. He had a hard time tearing open a large cardboard box on the floor, bending down to it, seemingly in pain.

“Can I help you?” Alice asked.

The old man looked up and nodded with a friendly smile on his face.

Alice tore open the box and pulled out the few books. Then, she followed the man around, carrying the books, as he quickly put them on the right shelves.

“Are you responsible for the archive?” Alice asked while still holding one of the books.

The old man simply gestured past Alice. As she turned around, she noticed an old woman approaching the two with the same friendly smile as the old man.

“Hello, how can I help?”

“Hi, I wanted to take a look at the archive. Specifically, about the architecture of this town.”

“Oh really, anything in particular?”

“I wanted to know more about the mansion outside the town.” Alice tried to keep most of her plan a secret if possible.

“I thought so. I can tell you a bit about the horrible thing. It was built by a rich European salesman who came here towards the end of the 17th century. He was the one who founded the town and also proclaimed himself the first mayor. His family ran the town for centuries, barely using any of the money to actually help the townspeople, instead using it to constantly renovate this stupid temple of egotism.”

“Fascinating. I was wondering if there might be something like blueprints,” Alice asked nervously.

“I’m sorry, dear. As long as the building is still being used, I can’t hand them out. Someone could use them to plan a break-in, you understand.”

“Makes sense. But that does mean those documents are in the archive, right?” Alice asked, trying to act inconspicuous.

“Yes, we have them here. I’m sorry we can’t help you. Is there anything else you need?”

“No, that would be everything,” Alice answered. She turned around, trying to spot an easy way in, so she could come back during the night and grab the blueprints.

“What about that book you’re holding?”

Alice looked down, only now noticing it.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I totally forgot. I was holding onto it, for him.”

“What book is it. My eyesight isn’t what it used to be.”

Alice tried her best to pronounce the title. “Die clever Fuchs, is that how you say it?”

The woman started laughing, and the man smiled. “Actually, it’s pronounced Die Cleveren Füchse. It’s a Swiss book series.”

“Why do you have books in German in your library?”

“It’s actually not for the library. We order every new book in the series for our little angel. Look, honey, Mika’s book is here.”

The old man nodded and grabbed it, reading the text on the back.

“Your little angel?”

“Yes, Mika is a regular here. They’re such a bright child, and they love mystery novels. I just wish that stupid cult wouldn’t treat them so badly. The large allowance they are given certainly doesn’t make up for the emotional distress they must be going through.”

Alice looked at her in surprise. “Are you saying there are children in that cult, and they’re being mistreated?”

“Yes, some of the members are parents and dragged their kids into it. Truly despicable. We’ve called the police and child protective services on multiple occasions, but they always waved us off, saying there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. We’ve asked Mika multiple times what’s going on in there. They always say, everything is fine. But their eyes don’t lie. Mika’s eyes sparkle whenever they’re here, reading a book or talking to us. But when they have to go back, the sparkle disappears and sadness overcomes them.”

Alice didn’t have to think about it and came to a decision. “Madam, you say that eyes don’t lie, and I agree. Looking in your eyes, I know I can trust you. I am actually a private investigator, and I am here to expose the Disciples of Dei. That’s what I needed the plans for.”
“To find a way inside,” the woman concluded.

“Yes, exactly.”

Before the woman could say anything, the old man walked into the backroom and returned shortly after with some documents. He carried them over to a table and spread them out.

“Thanks, honey. Well, it seems we both decided to trust you, dear.”

“Thank you so much. I promise, I won’t quit until the Disciples of Dei are no more.”

“Can you believe it, honey? We’re working with an actual investigator. Mika would be so jealous.”

The man nodded, smiling as he turned his attention to the blueprints on the table.

“I realize I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Alice Baker.”

“Like the Baker Street, how fitting for an investigator. My name is Maeve Banda, and this is my lovely husband, Tzuriel.”

Mr. Banda bowed. He directed his attention back to the blueprints and pointed to one of the walls.

“Why are some of these walls so thick?” Alice asked.

Mr. Banda made some signs with his hands while Maeve just nodded.

“You’re right, that would make the most sense.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t speak sign language. What did he say?”

“No need to apologize, he thinks that those walls might have secret passages inside them.”

Mrs. Banda turned back to her husband. “You’ve already studied these, haven’t you?”

Mr. Banda nodded and explained with more gestures.

“What were you thinking? You’re not some young James Bond, and you can’t infiltrate the place yourself.”

“I guess it’s perfect that I showed up. We can both help each other.”

“But you’ll need to be careful. My knees are shaking, just thinking about those guards. Promise me that you’ll stay out of danger.”

“I will.”

Mr. Banda gave her a stern look.

“We mean it. You’re helping no one if you get yourself killed. It’s better to make a tactical retreat than to battle until the bitter end.”

“I promise, I’ll be careful. And don’t worry, my colleagues are working on Plan B as we speak.”

“Good. Then let’s find you a way inside those walls.”

The three worked on their plan for hours, marking every potential passageway and hiding spot.

When Alice returned, it was already dark outside, and the others were asleep. She put on the Crimebuster and snuck out of the house, heading towards the cliff.

Saturday, April 27, 11:20 pm: Cliff, Stony Shores

Alice looked up, her eyes following the massive cliff. She was standing in a small alcove below the cliff, mostly hidden from both sides. A dock covered in algae and barnacles, with a small boat tied to it, was right next to her.

Alice’s eyes wandered to the two steel doors in front of her, both leading inside the cliff wall. She looked in through the small, barred window of one. It was pitch black on the other side, but Alice could tell it was probably just an empty room. She tried opening the door, but it was locked.

She turned her attention to the other door. Looking inside, it was just as dark, but instead of an empty room, there was a narrow staircase behind it, leading upwards.

Alice pulled her lockpicks out of one of the Crimebuster’s pouches.

The old door was no problem for her. It was unlocked in no time, swinging open with a high-pitched screeching.

Alice stared into the dark, narrow passage in front of her as she felt her heartbeat get faster.

She pulled out her phone and turned on some calming jazz music, playing over her helmet’s built-in headphones.

She walked forward, determined, not looking back, only straight ahead.

It felt like an eternity until she finally reached the end of the stairway. Lucky for her, the door at the top was not locked, and she could easily enter the basement.

She looked around. The hallway she was standing in looked like it could lead straight to a medieval torture chamber. The musty scent made her feel nauseous.

Alice turned off the music, even though she’d preferred to keep the distraction. But she knew she had to be on high alert with all her senses focused so she wouldn’t be discovered.

She walked along the hallway, looking inside the different rooms. Some of the doors were locked, while others weren’t, and some had small openings, while others didn’t give away what was behind them.

The rooms generally looked like old-fashioned workplaces. There was a bakery, a kitchen, a tailoring room, and rooms to age wine and cheese, among others.

The further she walked, the more she noticed a pungent smell.

At the very end of the hallway, she found the origin of the scent. The door to the room was locked, but she could still look inside. I would describe the room as an outdated version of Mr. Cabrera’s apartment, filled with all sorts of chemistry tools. It truly looked the way you’d imagine the workplace of an alchemist from the Dark Ages to look.

Alice was just about to pull out her lockpicks when the creaking of a door shattered the silence.

She looked around in panic, trying to find a hiding spot. She tried her best, recalling the blueprints.

Looking down the hallway, she could see the flickering of a candle getting closer. Whoever it was, they were about to turn around the corner.

Alice ran up to one of the doors, pulled it open, and leapt inside, just as the light had reached her.

She heard a scream as she slammed the door shut.

Remembering the floor plan, she looked around the bakery she was in. She quickly pulled on one of the shelves, revealing a secret passage behind it.

Without thinking, she stepped inside and pulled the shelf back in position, as absolute darkness swallowed her.

With shaking hands, she pulled out her phone to turn the music back on. Her body moved on its own, following the passageway as the walls seemingly came closer and closer.

Even with the music, she apparently could not calm down. Her body got faster, and she lost her sense of direction.

After a while of mindlessly wandering, she arrived at what seemed to be a dead end. She tried to turn around, but it felt like the passage was closing itself behind her, trying to swallow her.

She nervously felt around in the dark, noticing something that felt like the step of a ladder.

Without thinking, she climbed up, opening the trapdoor above her head. Seemingly mindlessly, she ran forward and up the spiral staircase. It seemed to her like she was running up multiple floors before she arrived at another trapdoor.

She climbed up and quickly closed the door, lying on top of it, so no one could open it. She stayed that way long enough to eventually fall asleep, not even knowing where she was.

Sunday, April 28, 8:10 am: House of the Hermit, Stony Shores

After going over the plan and considering possible challenges once more, Xavier, Amy, and Ryleigh went to the meeting point.

The small building didn’t look much different from the others in town. It was on the outskirts, disconnected from the other houses, next to one of the few roads leading out of the town.

Without hesitation, Xavier knocked at the old, wooden door, but no reaction.

“Hello, anyone here?” Xavier yelled at the top of his lungs.

“Weird, isn’t the point of the Hermit to always stay in this house? Seems weird for him to leave, especially on the day he’s expecting visitors,” Amy pointed out.

“Maybe he left because of the special occasion. The representatives arrived yesterday, so maybe he went with them to the commune,” Ryleigh theorized.

“Still sounds weird.” Xavier decided to walk around the building.

The building only had a few windows. Xavier tried looking through them, but nothing caught his eye. The room was mostly empty and probably served as an area for the visitors to wait for the carriage. A few benches and chairs were spread out, and some potted plants and simple paintings served to make the room feel at least a bit cozier. The room took up a large part of the first floor, but there was a door leading to a room in the back.

As he walked further to check the windows in the back, he realized that all the windows that were not part of the waiting room were filled in.

“Why are these windows bricked up but not the others?” Ryleigh asked. She had followed Xavier around the house.

“Probably to hide what’s inside. I assume that behind these windows is an off-limits area. Probably the private quarters of the Hermit”

“Then we have to get inside and investigate it,” Ryleigh decided.

“Yes, but we might have to pick the lock or break one of the windows. Hopefully…” Xavier was stopped by a loud creaking. The two ran back to the front door, which was now open.

“How did you get it open?” Xavier asked.

“Did you not think to check if the door was unlocked?” Amy asked, confused, while looking around the room.

“I guess that must have slipped my mind,” Xavier admitted.

“The place certainly feels very inviting,” Ryleigh said sarcastically.

“At least they seem to clean regularly. I can’t spot a single speck of dust in here,” Amy noticed.

“They probably want to make a good first impression,” Xavier assumed. He directly walked up to the door in the back. Learning from his mistakes, he immediately tried to open it, but to his disappointment, this door was locked. He knocked and called out, but like before, nobody answered.

“What now?” Ryleigh asked.

“It’s time for the Cabrera Multitool.” Xavier grabbed the pipe from his backpack and quickly switched it to the correct mode. Xavier quickly removed two of the lockpicks, poking out of the pipe, and started working on the lock.

Amy and Ryleigh watched him for a while but decided to use the time to investigate the room.

“Do you think there’s anything we can use in here? I doubt they’ll leave anything incriminating in the waiting room,” Ryleigh said.

“That’s fair. But I guess it can’t hurt to look. Not like Xavier is gonna be finished any time soon.”

“Hey, I’ve heard that. You know, this would go much faster if our expert in lockpicking didn’t go off on her own mission.”

“Have you never had to pick a lock before?” Ryleigh asked, surprised.

“I have, but that doesn’t mean I’m good at it. It’s more of a last resort.”

“What’s this?” Amy bowed down to the floor and picked something up.

“Looks like some kind of orange feather,” Ryleigh said, looking at the small object.

“Doesn’t look like any bird I know. Probably an artificial one,” Amy pointed out.

“Maybe it was part of someone’s outfit. You know, like a feather boa or some kind of hairpiece.”

“That sounds more like the roaring twenties. I thought the style of the Disciples of Dei was all about the Middle Ages and the Renaissance,” Xavier noticed, while still working on the lock with minimal progress.

“Whoever it was, their style is anything but subtle, check this out.” Ryleigh was sitting on one of the benches and pointed to a spot on it.

Amy came closer to see what she was talking about. “Wow, you’ve got good eyes. I would not have noticed that.”

What Ryleigh had found were traces of red glitter stuck to the wood.

“Finally!” Xavier yelled in relief.

“Did you make it?” Amy asked.

“Yes, the door is open.”

“Then let’s check it out.” Amy walked over to him.

“Ryleigh, could you maybe be on the lookout? The Chariot shouldn’t get here in a while, but you never know.”

“No problem, I’ll make some noise should anyone approach the building.”

“Thank you.” Xavier curiously opened the door. Behind it was only a small room. He had to use a flashlight to see in the dark room.

There were some empty shelves and a stair leading to the second floor.

“The Hermit definitely takes the minimalist approach to heart,” Amy said, while the two walked up the stairs.

The stairs lead into a small kitchen and dining room. Just like the room below, it was empty, except for some bare-bones furniture. The windows had been boarded up, only letting in a few beams of sunlight.

Xavier opened one of the cupboards, and a cloud of dust hit him right in the face. He started loudly coughing, and his eyes started tearing up.

“Are you okay? Wait, take this.” Amy handed him a tissue.

“Thanks, that’s better.” Xavier wiped the dust from his eyes.

“There is no way someone lives here. The dust is piling up and there’s nothing in here.”

“And it smells like something died in here,” Xavier pointed out.

“You’re right. Maybe some kind of animal that lived in the walls?” Amy wondered.

“Or maybe the Hermit died, and no one ever noticed. Would certainly explain the dust.”

“Don’t say something like that. Dealing with one murder case was enough for me. I’ll leave that up to you and Alice.”

“If you work for my agency, it’s only a matter of time until you run into another corpse.”

“That’s why I’m not a full-blown member.”

“That doesn’t mean you won’t ever run into another corpse.”

“Can we please switch the subject?”

“Sure. By the way, I don’t think that it’s been all that long since someone has been here.”

“Now that you say it, the furniture is dusty, but not the floor. It might not be as clean as the waiting room, but someone clearly wiped away some of the dust.”

“Maybe to hide shoeprints? Although looking at them, the stainless spots look somewhat like drag marks,” Xavier suggested.

“Don’t say that,” Amy said, while Xavier was opening the door leading to the bedroom. It was surprisingly warm for an old, abandoned building like this.

“Oh fuck, the smell just got way worse!”

Amy immediately covered her nose before following Xavier.

They started looking around the room. Amy checked the drawers right next to the bed.

“I really don’t want to know what kind of vermin stinks this much, the thing must be hu…” Xavier stopped mid-sentence.

Amy heard a loud thud and turned around. Out of reflex, she let out a terrified scream.

She saw an open closet with nothing in it. Xavier was lying in front of it, two lifeless bodies on top of him.

She quickly averted her eyes. “Ar-are they dead?”

“Judging from the stench and everything else,” Xavier paused for suspense. “Yes, they are absolutely dead.”

“How are you this calm?! There are two corpses on top of you!”

“Could you help me get them off? Not to be rude, but they’re really heavy.

With her eyes closed, Amy reached out and pulled one of the corpses aside. Even just touching the cold skin sent a shiver down her spine.

Xavier pushed the other one to the floor and got up. He looked down at the two bodies. Both were young women, dressed in green dresses. The outfits looked like some elaborate princess costumes one would wear to a costume party.

Xavier knelt down to get a closer look. “It’s obvious what killed them.”

“What?” Amy slowly turned around.

Xavier shone his flashlight in the face of one of the victims. The forehead had a hole in it, likely caused by a gunshot. After a quick examination, a similar wound was found on the second corpse. That one was even messier, as it looked like the bullet had entered the skull from behind and left through the left eye.

“Does that mean they were murdered?”

“It’s quite rare for suicide victims to store their corpses in a closet, so yes.”

“Sorry, I guess that was a dumb question.”

“No worries. How are you holding up?” Xavier stood up and put his hand on Amy’s shoulder.

“I’ll manage. My stomach feels a bit funny, but other than that, I’m okay.”

“Good to hear.”

“And what now?” Amy asked.

“Well, we set out to find the skeletons in the cult’s closet, guess we managed that.”

“So, do we call the cops?”

“Oh my god!” Ryleigh yelled. She was standing in the entrance of the bedroom.

“W-what happened here? I just heard Amy scream and came.”

“Double homicide, from the looks of it, the two haven’t been dead for that long, maybe a day. Although the warmth here helped develop that gross stench,” Xavier summarized the situation.

“And what are we going to do now?” Ryleigh asked nervously. Amy and she looked at Xavier, waiting for an answer, as he was tapping against his forehead, lost in thought.

“I have a plan.”

“What kind of plan?” Amy asked.

“One that lets us continue our current plan of infiltrating the cult, but also allows us to solve this murder.”

“I don’t like where this is going,” Amy said, concerned.

“Think about it. The killer is most likely a member of the cult. Likely a high-ranking one if they had access to this room.”

“But how do you plan to investigate those members, not like they will all just show up to our tour?” Ryleigh pointed out.

“This plan is not just about the tour now. Correct me if I’m wrong in my assumption, but doesn’t it seem like these two might be representatives of a clan? Considering they died yesterday, when the representatives were meeting here.”

“Sure, I guess, but what does that have to do with the plan?”

“What if the representatives were to show up even though they’re dead? Only the killer knows what happened, so they should be welcomed in like normal.”

“Xavier, stop it right there. I know what you’re about to say, and I don’t like it. That’s a stupid plan, and you’ll get us killed that way,” Amy said, upset.

“But think about it. If we were to impersonate the representatives, we could walk around much more freely, and when the killer sees us, we’ll be able to tell. They know that we’re not the real ones and will absolutely be confused by our presence.”

“Wouldn’t the others be able to tell you apart from the real ones? They might have a similar stature, but they still don’t look anything like you”, Ryleigh pointed out.

“They shouldn’t know what the representatives look like. The cult doesn’t use any technology capable of taking pictures,” Xavier explained.

“Hold on a minute, who do you guys think will impersonate the representatives?” Amy asked.

“Don’t look at me, that’s a task for investigators. Also, my mother is expecting me and she would recognize me, even in disguise.”

“So, Xavier and I will impersonate the dead women in front of us?”

“I’ve done theater, that’s no problem for me.”

“If you say so,” Ryleigh said calmly.

“Don’t worry, here I got some wigs and makeup ready.”

“I’m not even surprised about it. At this point, I’m convinced your basic equipment includes literally everything.”

“But it always pays off to have that stuff on me. And disguises are very important for investigators.”

“Wasn’t there that one criminal who’s an expert in disguises?” Ryleigh asked.

“Don’t mention them. Paradox is my arch nemesis, and I will not allow you to compare my techniques to theirs.”

Xavier bowed down to get the dresses, while the others averted their eyes.

“Wow, this is super macabre. Undressing corpses to impersonate them,” Amy said, disturbed and grossed out.

“That’s nothing. It probably doesn’t even make the top 5.”

“You have a top 5 of macabre moments?” Ryleigh asked, baffled.

“Of course, number 5, for example, is from Case #21: The Haunted Cadaver. I spent two nights hiding under a bog body, kept in a museum, waiting for an intruder. When the thief showed up, I jumped up, trying to capture her, but then the head came loose and…”

“Okay, that’s enough. How about I go back to guarding the entrance, while you get ready for your performance?”

Xavier handed Amy one of the dresses. “I don’t think I will fit in that”, Amy said, ashamed.

“What are you talking about? She’s not that much thinner than you. And the dress is relatively loose-fitting to begin with.”

“Are you sure?”

“When’s the last time you checked the mirror? I’m pretty sure you think you’re bigger than you actually are.”

“I guess I can try, but don’t be surprised when it doesn’t fit.” Amy went into the other room, putting the dress on with no problem.

Xavier also fit into his dress with no problem, besides adding some necessary padding in specific areas.

“See, wasn’t so hard, was it?” he asked when he entered the room. He had already put on makeup, in the same outdated style as the corpses wore it.

“I’m impressed, I didn’t know you could use makeup.”

“I’ve done my fair share of drag before. I even played Dr. Frank-N-Furter in our school’s performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” Xavier answered, insulted.

“Really?”

“Are you really surprised that the queer theater kid has experience with drag?”

“When you put it like that.”

“Although I have to admit, I’m not used to doing such elaborate makeup myself. That was typically someone else’s job in our theater group.”

Xavier and Natsu both participated in the high school theater group. The skills they learned there had certainly helped them in some of their cases. Xavier, being a performer, knew how to keep up an act, and Natsu, as part of the stage crew, had learned an array of different things, especially in the prop department. In Case #11: The Key of the Velociraptor, he created a convincing copy of the key that was vital to the success of the mission.

After Xavier had helped Amy with her makeup, they went downstairs, where Ryleigh was still waiting.

“Wow, you look great, Amy.”

“Thanks, but you can be honest, the dress looks horrible on me.”

“Well, the dress and makeup do look horrible, but that has nothing to do with you. You look as great as someone can, wearing this weird style,” Xavier said as he approached the others. The others immediately noticed his weird walk.

“Someone’s not used to heels, it seems,” Ryleigh said, laughing.

“Believe me, the heels are not the issue. The problem is the extra weight hanging between my legs?”

“I’m sorry, what?!” Ryleigh said, confused.

“My backpack, I tied it to my waist, but it keeps getting in the way.”

“Why would you put it there?” Amy asked, confused.

“I need my equipment, but most of that stuff is probably not allowed for an actual member, so I have to hide it. These dresses are pretty useful for that.”

Xavier bowed down and reached under his dress, looking for something.

“What are you doing?” Ryleigh asked.

“I forgot to grab my pipe. I need to lock the door again.”

“You really haven’t changed since we last met,” Ryleigh said, chuckling, while Xavier tried desperately to reach inside his bag without removing it.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Sunday, April 28, 9:45 am: House of the Hermit, Stony Shores

After Xavier had locked the door, they had to wait a while until something approached the building. They could hear the sound of wheels turning and hoof irons scratching the ground.

“Sounds like we’re getting company. Just to go over the plan again. You’ll take the tour as planned and try to find out more that way. Amy and I will stick with the high-ranking members and the other representatives until the event is over or the case is solved.”

“Which means we might be stuck in these roles for a week,” Amy added nervously.

“Yes. Keep in mind, the number one rule when lying is only talking as much as necessary. Every word can potentially risk our cover being blown. And make sure to observe the other people exactly. Especially the first encounter will be important in solving the case. Every small detail about their body language is important.”

“Xavier, I’m not sure I can do this.”

“Of course you can. I believe in you. Just stick with me and let me do most of the talking, and nothing will happen,” Xavier said in a calm and encouraging voice.

The three waited nervously and listened as the door of the carriage was opened.

They heard a deep, scratchy voice say, “I just want to remind you that I’m doing you a huge favor with this.”

“I know, and I’m very thankful for that. I just wanted to make sure my daughter would get the welcome she deserves,” a woman answered.

Heavy steps could be heard, and the front door was opened. A man and a woman, both in their late 40s, entered the room.

Xavier’s eyes focused like the lens of a camera, ready to observe every detail.

Both were dressed in mostly white outfits, resembling those typically seen at a Renaissance fair. In other words, cheap-looking, probably uncomfortable, and most likely historically inaccurate.

The woman looked just like an older version of Ryleigh. She wore a necklace with some cheap plastic crystals around her neck. She had a tattoo on her left hand, resembling the Leo star constellation. One of the stars was marked with a small piece of metal, attached directly to the skin.

Xavier tried to look for a reaction, but the woman didn’t seem to notice him, as she directly ran up to Ryleigh to give her a long hug.

The man, on the other hand, noticed the two as soon as he walked in. He was seemingly surprised and confused by their presence.

He, too, had a tattoo, his being Taurus. Xavier noticed immediately that this tattoo was missing the metal piece.

Mostly hidden under his sleeves were what seemed to be burn marks, scattered over his arms.

“Ryleigh, I’m so happy to see you. I’m so happy you finally found the way Dei has prepared for you.”

“Oh yeah, I’m looking forward to getting to know people who have found Dei as well,” Ryleigh answered.

“Does that mean you’re planning on staying?”

“Well, I certainly hope to become part of the commune, but I still have some business to attend to before that. But at least I can already see what life in the commune is like.”

“I’m so excited for you.” Ryleigh’s mother turned around and finally noticed the others. “Could it be? Are you the representatives of the Jade Clan?”

“Yes, we got here last night,” Xavier confirmed.

“Can you believe it, Via? They still made it.”

“Yes, we had assumed you wouldn’t come when you didn’t show up yesterday. What happened?” the man named Via asked.

“Nothing to worry about. We ran into some small problems on the way here and arrived late, but thankfully, we still made it before the main event begins,” Xavier explained.

“That’s great, I just wanted to introduce myself, I’m Lingua. I’m the mother of this lovely young woman. And if I remember correctly, you two are Nox and Lacrima, is that right? I’ve tried to memorize all the names of our guests.”

“Yes, I’m Lacrima and she is Nox,” Xavier answered.

“I guess I should introduce myself as well. I’m Via, the Chariot. I serve as the connection between the commune and the outside. But I’m sure you knew that already.”

“Lovely to meet you. Would it be possible for us to take a seat in the carriage? I assume that’s more comfortable than these benches,” Xavier said.

The man looked at him suspiciously. “Sure, we’ll stay here a little longer in case someone else gets here.”

“Thank you.” Xavier and Amy left the building and gazed upon an elegant carriage. Xavier opened the door and helped Amy inside.

After closing the door, Amy let out a sigh of relief. “How are you this calm, I think I’m freaking out,” Amy whispered.

“Just try to stay calm. Remember, we’re in this together,” Xavier said calmly while holding his ear up to the door.

Amy could feel her heart pounding. “Is this nervousness something I will eventually get used to?”

“Absolutely. And believe me, you’re doing a better job than I did in my first cases. But if you think about it, what you’re feeling is basically just an extreme case of stage fright.”

“Pretty sure when you mess up on stage, you’re not faced with a ritualistic execution.”

“Tell that to my theater teacher from high school.”

After thinking for a bit, Amy asked, “Do you know if one of them might be the killer?”

“I can’t say at this moment. We’ll have to investigate some more. We should definitely keep an eye on Via, he’s one of the few people who can leave the property without arousing suspicion.”

“I don’t think Ryleigh’s mom was involved in it. She seems like a good person,” Amy said.

“I agree, a random member could likely not leave the property that easily on their own.”

Amy was just about to say something as Xavier put his index finger over his mouth and sat back.

The door opened, and Ryleigh and her mother came in. They sat down, and the carriage set into motion.

Lingua looked at Amy. “Nox, I have to compliment you, that shade of lipstick looks great on you. It perfectly suits your aura.”

“Oh, thanks, that means a lot.” She looked nervously over to Xavier, who nodded reassuringly.

“Say, Lingua, you said you memorized the names of all the representatives. Does that mean you’ve been informed about us?” Xavier asked.

“We’ve obviously been informed that representatives would come and we’ve been told their names, but nothing else. I have to say, you two stood out. All the other clans only sent one representative.”

“We were just as surprised, but in the end, if that’s what Dei wants, and we’re happy to conform.”

“Mom, I was wondering about the tattoo. I’ve heard it draws energy from the stars, but what is the metal piece for?”

“I’m happy to tell you. For common disciples, it is too difficult to connect to the stars, so we use these artifacts for help. They are fragments of the technology Dei brought to Earth. Higher-ranking members like Via don’t need the artifacts anymore as they can connect to the stars themselves.”

“I was wondering why he didn’t have one,” Ryleigh said.

“And if you look at the members of the other clans, they don’t even have the tattoos. That’s one of the reasons they are here. To become the first members of their clans, besides the leaders, to connect to the stars. Two of them will even be chosen for the roles of Moon and Sun. That puts them on the same rank as their Clan leaders.”

“So basically, two of them will receive a lot of power over their respective clan?”

“Yes. They will be able to make decisions in the name of Dei.”

They continued talking for a while until they passed the entrance gate. Xavier, Amy, and Ryleigh looked outside. They passed a few guards, dressed in medieval armor. Unlike the outfits of the other disciples, the armor looked very convincing, as did their swords. Certainly, something you would want to avoid as an intruder.

While driving along a long path leading to the mansion, they passed a few buildings that served as communal homes. They looked relatively new and were built with wood.

They also saw fields for growing crops or holding animals. These took up most of the large property.

They saw many people tending the plants and animals. Most were in their 20s or 30s, but some older people and even a few children could be spotted working alongside each other.

While they were getting closer to the intimidatingly large mansion, they were not aware of the fact that someone was keeping an eye on them.

Sunday, April 28, 10:20 am: Lighthouse, Stony Shores

Alice calmly lowered the binoculars she was holding. Since she had woken up, she had been observing the estate, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity, besides the child labor.

Even without seeing them, she knew the others had to be in the carriage. Relieved that everything had likely gone as planned, she stepped back from the large window.

She had only recently woken up, and only then had she realized where she was. In her confusion, the night before, she must have somehow found a secret passage that led to the lighthouse. Without thinking, she had managed to run all the way to the top, ending up in the glass chamber, falling asleep next to the large lamp that hadn’t been used for a long time.

Besides the lamp, there was some space that had been filled with tables and shelves, seemingly built from scrap.

Alice put the binoculars back on the table, where she had found them, next to an assortment of tools and gadgets, both homemade and bought.

Alice glanced at some paper clips. Someone had bent them into makeshift lockpicks. Alice smirked as they reminded her of her own creations.

While looking around, she noticed a shelf filled with glass vessels of different shapes and sizes. Most of them held liquids or powders, and the filled ones were closed with corks. Next to them were some old chemistry books and a notebook.

She tried looking through the notebook, but she understood even less than in Mr. Cabrera’s notes. With a lot of the terms in this one, she wasn’t even sure if they weren’t just made up.

Curiously, she grabbed one of the larger glasses and opened it up. She didn’t even need to get her nose close to it. Even through her balaclava, a whiff was enough to have her innards shrivel up.

It is quite hard to describe the smell coming from the mystery liquid. But I will try to give you an idea of what horrors this concoction reminds me of.

After thinking about it for a while, I’ve realized that the best description of the stench would be death. I don’t mean it reeks like a rotting corpse. It smells like the concept of a torturous death. I envy everyone who didn’t have to experience what Alice and I had to.

Alice immediately sealed the container up and put it as far away from her as possible.

She quickly descended through the trapdoor and down a ladder. A spiral staircase in the center connected all the floors below. It left a lot of room on every floor that was mostly unused.

Only the room just below the lamp chamber was furnished. Alice was surprised by the cozy atmosphere. Along the walls were shelves, all filled to the brim with books, cassettes, and CDs. Besides the shelves, there was a comfortable-looking armchair. Next to it was a small table with a lamp and a CD and cassette player on top. Next to them was a book with a bookmark about halfway through. It was labeled Die Cleveren Füchse #171: Menü der Rache. Alice didn’t take a closer look, as she knew she wouldn’t understand any of it.

Looking at the shelves, they had been carefully sorted by series. There were some books about Sherlock Holmes, some about Hercule Poirot, dozens of The Three Investigators, and a lot more. The most noticeable one was the book series The Clever Foxes or Die Cleveren Füchse, with most of them being in German.

Alice continued looking around the tower for a while, waiting for a good opportunity to sneak back into the mansion.

Sunday, April 28, 10:25 am: Mansion, Diamond Estate

The Carriage had come to a halt, and everyone got out.

Amy looked up at the imposing building, which had an ominous feeling surrounding it.

“Come on, or do you wanna let the others wait even longer?” Via said angrily while opening the door.

“We’re coming. And please accept our apologies for being late,” Amy said while following him inside.

The others followed them into the entrance hall. Something instantly caught their attention. Between two sets of stairs, both leading up to the second floor, was a large vault door that would make even Scrooge McDuck jealous. Compared to the rest of the building, it stood out as unexpectedly modern.

“That’s the treasure chamber where all the sacrifices are kept,” Lingua explained.

“And with sacrifices, you mean all your valuables you have to give up?” Ryleigh asked skeptically without thinking.

Via glared at her, clearly being suspicious of Ryleigh’s true intentions.

Not just Ryleigh realized she had to try making herself look less suspicious. Amy had realized that, too.

“I mean, ‘valuables’ is such a loaded term. The true value can only be found in Dei, not in some materialistic junk,” Amy said in a calm voice, hiding her panic. She looked at Ryleigh, waiting for her to make a move.

“I guess you’re right. I apologize, it seems I haven’t left all the ways of thinking like a nonbeliever behind me. I’m still working on freeing myself from those shackles.”

Xavier looked at the two, impressed by their quick thinking.

“That’s enough chit-chatting. We should go to the others.” Via walked up to the stairs. “Oh, and you, wait here. Pax will be with you soon for your tour. You’re lucky. The clan leader herself is giving you the tour.”

“Can’t my mother give me the tour?”

“No, that’s the job for a high-ranking member. But I guess your mother can tag along.”

“Oh, I would love to, but I can’t be caught slacking. I’ll go back to work,” Lingua said, waving off his offer.

“Dei appreciates your dedication. Have a good day,” Via said, before Lingua left.

Via, Xavier, and Amy walked up the stairs while Ryleigh stayed behind. He led them to an elegantly furnished room with a long table and multiple old-fashioned chaise lounges. The crackling of a fireplace and idle chatter filled the room.

A group of people turned their heads to the newcomers. They were most of the high-ranking members of the Diamond Clan and the representatives of the other clans.

It wouldn’t take long until they all introduced themselves, but I will jump directly to Xavier’s observations.

First was Gladius, bearer of the Strength arcana. He was the leader of the guards and wore the same armor as them with a billowing white cape. The metal made a loud noise with every small movement he made. Xavier couldn’t see his eyes under the helmet, but he could feel that Gladius was analyzing him and Amy precisely.

Next to him stood Scientia, the Magician. A skinny woman who seemingly always held her head high to look down on others. She only honored them with a quick look and then ignored them again, turning to the youngest in the room, Pes.

Scientia introduced Pes as her talented daughter, who, despite her age of 15, already carried out the duties of the High Priestess. She explained all that while hectically adjusting Pes’ clothes as if to correct every single fiber separately. Scientia also tightened a knot around Pes’ fingers on both hands, making it so Pes couldn’t move four of her five fingers on each hand individually.

Pes was seemingly uncomfortable but too focused on the newcomers to object. When Xavier met her gaze, she instantly averted her eyes, seemingly in discomfort. She nervously opened and closed her hands repeatedly until Scientia told her off.

Her stare seemed to come from a place of curiosity, not malice or suspicion.

Maybe Xavier was simply following his stomach, but looking at her face, he could not imagine the kid being involved in murder. Shocker, I know. I’m sorry if this came off strong, but I’m simply confused that he even thought about that possibility.

Her eyes were partially hidden behind her long, blonde hair, and her lips were seemingly always pursed, making her cheeks look chubbier.

Looking at the next person, Xavier was overcome with a strange sense of familiarity, as if he had seen the man in front of him before.

The man was called Animus and represented the Ruby Clan. This was made obvious by his bright red jacket, covered in glitter, which could not have been less period appropriate. The short, portly man was in his early 40s. His forehead was wrinkled, and some of his beard stubble was noticeably grey.

He stared back at Xavier, although it was hard to tell whether he recognized him or if he knew something was up.

Animus wasn’t the only representative present. The other two were sitting next to each other and had been enjoying each other’s company. First was Salus, a similarly portly woman who served as the representative of the Topas Clan. She was holding a drink in her right hand that somehow never spilled, despite her wild articulation.

She was wearing a bright orange dress, combined with a feather boa and hairpiece of the same color.

Like many of the others, her outfit was clearly color-coded and did not fit the medieval style.

Last was Flumen, the representative of the Sapphire Clan. Obviously, she was dressed in different shades of blue. She was by far the shortest of the people present, even compared to Pes. But she still stood out in the crowd of eccentric personalities. Her perfume, like her voice, could be noticed a mile away.

Let me tell you, it is not enjoyable for an investigator to keep track of so many people, as you probably agree. Clue is nothing compared to this. That board game is an inaccurate representation of an investigator's work. To be fair, the game is actually much more frustrating than the real thing.

Xavier and Amy thought about where they should start the investigation, as a shrill voice got their attention.

“But I’m telling you, I saw him! Do you doubt me?!” Scientia was yelling at Gladius. He had crossed his arms in front of his chest, causing his armor to make a loud scratching sound with every breath he took.

“I don’t doubt you. I’m just saying it is highly unlikely that he’s here. My guards are always on high alert. Maybe you saw your own shadow.”

“I forbid you to make such a remark! I can tell my own shadow apart from the embodiment of evil!”

“What’s going on?” Xavier asked. He and Amy weren’t the only ones who were paying attention to the argument, as most of the others were eavesdropping as well.

Scientia was staring at Xavier like he had personally attacked her.

“May I apologize on behalf of my friend? She sometimes forgets her manners. Right, Lacrima?” Amy looked at him, expecting an answer.

“Oh, yes, I’m so sorry, I have a habit of being a bit nosy. I just thought I should hear what’s the matter, as it seemed concerning.”

“No worries, there is no problem,” Gladius said, trying to calm the group down as they were starting to get nervous.

“Of course, there is a problem. Last night I spotted the Black Man in the basement.”

“The what now?” Salus asked, confused.

“Please, everyone, calm down. There is no proof that the Black Man is here. And even if so, we have highly skilled guards who will finish him off if he decides to show his face around here.” Gladius tried to sound calm, but his voice just came across sounding annoyed.

“Excuse me, who’s the Black Man?” Flumen asked, interested and worried.

Amy and Xavier were both happy someone else had asked the question, as that topic had not come up during their research.

“I would like to know that too,” Salus said skeptically.

Scientia’s eyes opened wide, and she got visibly nervous when she looked at Salus. “Oh, I think you misunderstood something. When we talk of the Black Man, we don’t mean an African American man, we talk of Ira, an otherworldly being that is the antithesis of Dei. We obviously respect people of your culture. As you know, the Disciples of Dei are an open-minded community, especially compared to other religions. I mean, just look at Lacrima.” Scientia made sure that everyone saw her point to Xavier, who just looked at her in confusion.

“We’re such a progressive community that even a Latinx, transgender woman has a chance at a high rank,” Scientia continued.

Amy just looked back and forth between Scientia and Xavier.

“Oh yeah, I feel really welcome and appreciated,” Xavier said in a sarcastic tone that Scientia seemingly overheard.

“You know, I’m surprised the other Clans are not familiar with the tale of Dei’s greatest nemesis, the holder of the Devil arcana,” Scientia said.

“That’s what the representatives are for, I guess. We bring that kind of knowledge back,” Animus said.

“And you saw this, Ira, in the basement?” Flumen asked.

“Yes, but when I followed him into the bakery, he had vanished. That’s why I’m demanding to send the guards down there, so they can find and kill him.”
“Okay, I’ll send some down there. If that’s all, then I would like to leave,” Gladius said, before bowing and exiting the room.

Amy used the opportunity to leave the room to check out more of the area. She also wanted to check in with Alice.

She walked down the hallway, where the guest rooms were. Lingua had told them before that the second floor was reserved for the high-ranking members and special guests.

The first floor gave room to some common members, but most of them slept in the other buildings.

After she had entered the room assigned to her and Xavier and had made sure no one was close to it, she took out her phone and called Alice.

“Hey, how’s it hanging?” Alice asked. Judging from her voice, it was obvious she was bored.

“We’re in and we’ve met most of the main suspects. But we haven’t found out much.”

“Suspects?” Alice repeated, confused.

“Oh, that’s right, you don’t know. There was a change of plan as we’ve found two of the representatives murdered.”

“I was expecting a lot of things, but not that,” Alice admitted, baffled.

“Xavier decided we should impersonate them to get close to the suspects. We assume that a high-ranking member or maybe one of the representatives was behind it.”

“Well, good luck with that.”

“Thanks. Say, is there a chance you were spotted in the basement last night?”

“Don’t worry, I got away.”

“I am worried, because someone saw you and she apparently thinks you're some kind of devil from their religion. And now she’s demanding the guards go find and kill you.”

“They won’t find me. Guess where I am.”

“How should I know?”

“I’m in the lighthouse. And they can’t get in here. The entrance is blocked, and the only way in is a secret passage.”

“Please stay in there until the situation cools down.”

“I was waiting for a better opportunity to begin with. I at least have something to read here. Oh, that reminds me, I’m looking for someone, maybe you’ve seen them.”

“I doubt it, I’ve only met the suspects, and I don’t think you’re talking about them.”

“No, the person I’m looking for is definitely not a criminal.”

“If you give me a description, I can keep an eye out for them.”

“Great. I’m looking for a nonbinary teen named Mika. They have long, blonde hair and speak both English and German. They’re also a big bookworm, specifically mystery novels, if that helps.”

“I haven’t met a nonbinary person here as far as I know. The only person the physical description fits is Pes. Do you have any other physical traits for me?”

“Not really. From what I’ve heard, they’re pretty high-energy, so maybe that helps.”

“Doesn’t sound like Pes. To be fair, it’s not like Pes is the only teenager here.”

“Just keep an eye out.”

“By the way, why are you looking for a random teenager?”

“Oh, I’m working with the Bandas, the couple running the archive. They helped me, and I promised to free Mika from this cult.”

“I guess you found your noble cause, Ms. Superhero.”

“Hell yes. And I’m already infamous amongst the zealots. This case is starting to get exciting.”

“Just be careful.”

“You too, bye.”

“Bye.” Amy hung up and put her phone away.

She opened the door, nearly bumping into a woman who was stepping away from the opposite door.

Her skin was almost as pale as her clothes. She looked at her in surprise with her sunken eyes that had large bags under them. She had something ghastly about her, standing in the poorly lit hallway.

“Oh, hello. Are you Nox?” she asked with a weak voice while reaching for her glasses. She tried to untangle some of her long, black hair that had been caught on the handle.

“Yes, I am, how did you know?”

“Just a guess. You had to be either Nox or Lacrima.”

Amy looked at the tattoo on the woman’s arm. It was missing the metal artifact. “How come I didn’t see you with the others?”

“Well, as the Tower, I must stay in contact with Dei at all times. That means I have to stay in the meditation chamber most of the time. I’m Fama, by the way.”

“What kind of messages do you receive?” Amy asked, realizing too late that it might seem suspicious.

But Fama didn’t seem to care. “Dei tells me if a member of the clan does something she likes or dislikes. I relay that message to the others, who then tell the followers about it.”

“Interesting. Has Dei said something about me or Lacrima?”

“No. But she’s keeping an eye on you to see if you’re worthy of an arcana.”

“Good to know. Well, have a nice day.”

“You too.” Fama walked away.

Sunday, April 28, 11:00 am: Lighthouse, Stony Shores

Just after ending the phone call, Alice started nervously walking in circles around the lighthouse lamp. Hearing about the murders, she had become much more worried about the safety of Amy, Xavier, and Mika.

It didn’t take her long to make up her mind and, against her better judgment, climb back down into the secret passage, heading back to the mansion.

She was very agitated as she quickly walked through the passage, using a flashlight to light the way.

Because it was the middle of the day, she had to be very careful when leaving the secret tunnels. This meant taking off her helmet and listening carefully to see if someone was near the exit.

She tried one of the basement exits. Her heart started beating even faster as she put down the helmet, and thus couldn’t hear the music anymore. She quickly noticed multiple people, seemingly working on the other side, so she tried the next exit.

The next exit she listened through had what sounded like guards, standing on the other side, discussing the search for Ira, the Black Man.

With every Exit she tried, she grew more tense. After checking every exit in the basement, she decided to find a way up. The one she had found went up for a long time, making Alice realize that she was apparently climbing past the first floor and directly to the second.

When she found one of the exits, she tried her luck again. To her surprise, it was absolutely quiet behind it. Excitedly, she pushed against the hidden door, only to realize that something large was blocking it. She could barely make out anything through the small gap, only a pale, cold light throwing shadows against the wall.

Alice realized how she could get a better view of the room. She grabbed her phone and started recording. The gap was just wide enough for her to reach her arm through. She made sure to hold her phone in every direction possible, hoping to get everything on camera.

She pulled her arm back, stopped the recording, and put her phone away. She decided not to check the recording right then, as she was starting to feel overwhelmed by her fear.

While the walls seemed to get closer and closer, Alice ran to the next exit.

Overcome with joy, she realized she had finally found one she could safely exit.

She took a deep breath and sighed in relief as she left the passage behind. Exhausted, she sat down in a chair and looked around the room. It was seemingly a single person’s bedroom, comfortable and spacious.

As I’ve already said, the bedrooms on this floor all belonged to high-ranking members and special guests.

As Alice still hadn’t calmed down, she decided to take a quick break to lower her pulse and focus again before continuing her investigation.

Sunday, April 28, 11:30 am: Living Room, Diamond Estate

Xavier was still in the same room as before, sitting at a table with some other people.

In the commune, lunch was eaten individually as opposed to dinner, which was eaten together with the rest of the commune.

Xavier decided to eat soup to gain energy for the following investigation. He also intended to use the opportunity to talk to some of the members a bit more.

“How come you only got here today?” Salus asked, while eating some soup as well.

“Oh, nothing special. One of our trains was delayed by two hours, so we missed our next one. It all added up, and we missed the agreed-upon time yesterday. Another reason why this modern technology should not be relied upon. But getting from California to here would be quite a challenge without it.”

“I hear you. I had to get here by train as well. It's just way too chaotic and unreliable,” Salus agreed.

“When you got here, was at least everything to your liking?” Xavier asked, looking at Salus and Flumen.

“Oh, it was wonderful. I was the first to arrive, and I could barely contain my excitement,” Flumen said.

“So, you were there even before Via?” Xavier asked, hoping to learn some important intel.

“Yes, I was, but barely. He got there only a few minutes after me.”

“I see.”

“But I think you don’t have to worry about your late arrival, you two weren’t the only ones who got there late.”

“Who else was late?”

“Animus, he got there about 15 minutes later than agreed upon. He was so late, in fact, he didn’t even get a chance to take a look at the Hermit’s house,” Salus explained.

“So he didn’t even enter the building?”

“No. At least he got to meet the Hermit, or at least hear him. The Hermit was busy while we were waiting, but he said goodbye to us when we left. But only through the door. His duty is to stay in isolation, after all,” Flumen said excitedly.

“But you know, even though we had to wait for him, Animus didn’t even apologize. He seems to be grumpy all the time,” Salus said, looking at the man in red.

“It’s unbecoming to talk about someone behind their back,” Scientia said. She was sitting at the same table, next to Pes. She was eating soup, making sure to lift her pinky in a way everyone could see.

Pes, on the other hand, was sitting still, staring at her bowl. She kept licking her bottom lip, showing only the tip of her tongue for a second. Likely a habit born from boredom.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Salus asked.

“I am, but…”

“My daughter has manners. She knows to let her elders eat first.” She looked at Pes. “What did I say about the tongue?”

Pes quickly pulled back their tongue, keeping their mouth tightly shut.

Xavier could feel his bowels twisting from the arrogant tone of Scientia’s voice. It reminded him of the irritating sound of nails on a chalkboard, and he had to focus, not to hurl a snide comment her way.

“You girls should probably try to improve your manners as well if you want to have a chance to be picked by Dei.”

“What would you recommend we do to improve them?” Xavier asked, his voice clearly resentful.

“Watch that tone. And it isn’t my job to teach you. Considering the way you talk to your elders, you clearly weren’t raised well.”

Knowing Xavier, Scientia can call herself happy that he’s currently undercover. Otherwise, he would have probably already smacked her, seeing how mad he was.

Admittedly, Scientia was doing a good job, hitting every one of Xavier’s weak points.

Xavier was once almost arrested while interacting with a person like Scientia. Only thanks to Detective Wilson did it not come to that. I should point out that Xavier was absolutely in the right in that situation. Sadly, that doesn’t mean much if you almost assault a politician like the mayor of Coleson.

“But I guess if you’re looking for advice, I’m the right person to ask. You can consider me a role model. After all, I’m the first member who wasn’t a founder who received her arcana. And I raised my daughter to follow in my footsteps.”

Pes looked uncomfortable and was still waiting for the others to finish their food.

“I’ve been wondering, who are the founding members?” Flumen asked.

“How could you not know this?!” Scientia said, outraged. “The founding members are Pax, she’s the leader of the Diamond Clan after all, Fama, and the three other clan leaders. Shortly after me, Gladius received his title, and after him, Via and Oculus, the Hermit, joined and quickly received their arcana at the same time. And about one year ago, my daughter finally made it as well.”

“What are the tasks of the two of you?” Salus asked.

“I am responsible for overseeing the production of all gifts for Dei, so plants, artisanal goods, and, for a few years now, crystals. And my daughter performs most of the ceremonies.”

“You create crystals as a gift for Dei?” Flumen asked, surprised.

“Yes, it was the idea of Via. He showed us an ancient recipe used by alchemists. But it took a while for it to be approved.”

Xavier continued listening to the others, trying to remember every detail.

Sunday, April 28, 11:40 am: Fields, Diamond Estate

While the others were investigating inside the mansion, Amy had been looking around the outside area, talking to members of the cult. To her disappointment, all she got out of them were some empty phrases about how great it is to live and work under the watchful eye of Dei. Even the children said similar things, although they seemed more frustrated with the work than their parents. And there was an underlying feeling of fear instead of adoration for their deity.

She was walking along one of the fields when she noticed Ryleigh. Next to her stood a tall, majestically dressed woman.  As you might have guessed, the woman was Pax, the leader of the Diamond Clan. Her appearance would be best described with a comparison to Marie Antoinette. At least it seems that’s what she was going for with her pompous dress and the ton of makeup, caked on her face.

She decided to go up to them.

“I hope you enjoyed this quick look into our community. I’m sorry I’m in such a hurry, but due to the presence of our special guests, I’m very busy. But I’d be very happy to welcome you back, maybe even as a new part of our family here in the Diamond Clan,” Pax said to Ryleigh, with a soft voice.

“Oh, no worries, I enjoyed what you had to show me. I would definitely be interested in joining the clan.”

“Great. I’m happy to hear that.” Pax turned around and noticed Amy. “Oh, hello. It seems like one of our missing representatives has arrived.”

“Yes, I’m Nox. We arrived last night. We had some delays on the way, I hope we didn’t cause any problems,” Amy explained.

“Dear no, the events only start today. I’m just happy you found your way here safe and sound.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll be right with you. I have something to do first.” Pax approached an older woman carrying a basket filled with carrots.

Pax gently placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Hello Vulnus, how are you?”

“I’m doing fine. What gives me the honor to enjoy your presence?”

“Fama recently received a message from Dei about you. Apparently, you’ve been having trouble meeting your quota, so you took some of the others’ harvest. Dei praises you for apologizing to them and hopes that you won’t do something like this again.”

“I am so sorry, I know it’s dishonorable. Thank you and praise Dei for forgiving me for my wrongdoings.”

“Dei always finds it in her to forgive a goodhearted soul like yours.” Pax wished her the best and walked back to Amy and Ryleigh.

“Now, as I said to Ryleigh, I’m in a bit of a hurry, but I will make sure to make some time for you this afternoon. Until then, make yourself at home and enjoy your time.”

“I would love to. I’m sure we’ll see each other later,” Amy replied.

“Lovely. And Ryleigh, I will tell Via that he should drive you back. He’ll be waiting for you at the entrance of the main building.”

“That’s not necessary, I can just walk. I’m staying in town, and a short walk won’t hurt.”

“Okay, I’ll contact the guards. Please make sure not to stay for too much longer.” Pax said goodbye and returned to the mansion.

Amy and Ryleigh watched and waited until she was out of earshot.

“So, did you get some new information?” Ryleigh asked.

“We didn’t really make any progress in the case, if you mean that. But we got to know our suspects, and Xavier is currently trying to find out more about them.”

“I see. I wasn’t very lucky with my investigation either. As expected, they really only show you what they want you to see. And Pax always kept an eye on me, so I couldn’t sneak off,” Ryleigh explained disappointedly.

“Alice has apparently found some secret passages that she’s using for her investigation.”

“So, you talked to her?”

“I have. But the situation could certainly be better. For one, she’s focused on finding one specific person among all the cult members. And in addition to that, she was spotted last night, and now the guards think she’s some kind of Boogeyman who’s come to destroy their way of life.”

“I guess that’s kinda accurate,” Ryleigh said.

“Sure, but it’s not good if the guards are on high alert.”

“Just be careful. The guards aren’t just a danger for Alice.”

“I know. I really hope Xavier can control himself.”

“Yeah, being around so many people older than him is definitely not something he enjoys.”

“So, you know about his little problem around older people?”

“Please, I used to be his girlfriend. How do you think it went when he met my parents for the first time?”

“Not good, I assume.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“At least Alice is staying in the lighthouse until the situation has calmed down,” Amy said.

The two continued to exchange information until Ryleigh had to go. It was clear she was nervous about leaving the others behind.

Sunday, April 28, 11:45 am: Living Room, Diamond Estate

Xavier was enjoying his third bowl of soup. He has a tendency to get very hungry during investigations. So, you're probably not surprised that snacks are part of his basic equipment. But whenever he has the opportunity, he likes to eat a freshly prepared meal, rather than some packaged snacks.

Scientia looked at him with a look of disgust. “Let me give you a piece of advice. It’s not very ladylike to eat that much. If you’re trying to be seen as a woman, you should really watch how you act,” she said in a smug tone.

Xavier angrily put his spoon down. “Here’s a friendly piece of advice for you on how to be a decent person. Stop judging others and making them feel bad about themselves, you judgy hag.”

It took Xavier all his willpower not to say anything harsher. But apparently it was already enough for Scientia as she turned red in anger and stood up.

“I was only trying to help you! Pes, we’re leaving. This…” she stammered, looking for the right words to say. “This individual is not a good influence for you.”

Pes hadn’t finished her soup but stood up, as her mother had demanded. She quickly grabbed her cloak-like coat, hanging over her chair.

As she tried putting it on as quickly as possible, she seemed to get caught somewhere in the sleeve.

Scientia watched impatiently as her daughter struggled to put on the coat.

While Pes frantically pulled on the piece of clothing, she stumbled backwards, bumping into Via.

“Watch it, brat!”

“S-sorry,” Pes said apologetically, lying on the floor.

“Here, let me help you.” Xavier held out his hand to help her up. As he pulled her up, Xavier focused on a small object that had dropped from Via’s clothes. Without the others noticing, he put his foot on it.

“Thank you.” Pes bowed.

“No worries. But I can see where the problem is. Xavier grabbed the sleeve that Pes had gotten caught in. “See, some of the stitches have come undone and created a sort of small pocket inside your sleeve. You must have gotten caught in that.”

“What, you damaged your ceremonial mantle?!” Scientia said in shock. Annoyed, she pulled Pes out of the room.

Xavier made sure no one was looking and pretended to adjust his stockings, while in actuality just grabbing the small object. He recognized it immediately as one of the artifacts the cult members wore as part of their tattoos.

He quickly hid it in his stockings and finished eating the soup.

Sunday, April 28, 11:45 am: ???’s Bedroom, Diamond Estate

Alice had finally calmed down and decided to watch the video she had recorded.

She watched in surprise as the inside of the room was revealed to her. The room was filled with the most up-to-date technology, multiple monitors displaying different information. It clearly looked like a surveillance room, besides the fact that Alice couldn’t see any camera footage, although something like that isn’t necessarily always on screen.

She didn’t even try to make sense of what was on screen as it was blurry, and her knowledge of technology would probably not be enough.

She put her phone away, but not without sending the video to Amy first. She hoped that her more tech-savvy counterpart could figure out what exactly the tech was used for.

Alice’s eyes wandered through the room until they stopped at a bowl of fruit. Only now did she notice how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten anything since the day before.

She hesitated but then pulled down her mask and began eating.

With an apple in her hand, she walked around the room. She was looking at the shelf attached to the hidden door. To get a good look at it, she had to close the secret door.

She quickly came to regret that decision, as she could hear voices coming closer. Panicked, she realized she wouldn’t have enough time to go through the door, so she rolled under the bed, hoping to stay hidden.

Frustratingly, she noticed at that exact moment that she had missed something very suspicious. An envelope was lying on the floor. It had apparently been slid under the door.

Disheartened, she could only watch as the door was opened and two people entered. From her position, Alice couldn’t tell who they were.

Even though she could feel panic building up inside her, she knew she couldn’t listen to music to calm herself down. She had to use the opportunity to eavesdrop on the two.

“Don’t you know what an honor it is to carry the arcana of the High Priestess?” a woman asked, frustrated.

Based on contextual clues, you can probably gather that the two were Scientia and Pes.

“Yes, but…”, Pes stammered.

“Then why don’t you work harder? You know you can lose this position anytime, right?”

“Yes, I…”

“I worked so hard to get you this opportunity.”

“I know, but…”

“You know nothing! You can’t imagine how hard it is to raise a kid as a single mother!”

“Mother, I…”

“Why is Dei testing me with this. I wish I could just have gotten a normal child.”

“But…” Pes sounded close to tears.

“No buts! Stop arguing with me! Why can’t you get that in your screwed up brain?!”

Alice could feel her feelings of distress turn into pure anger.

“This evening, during the ceremony, you will show your best side. There are guests from all clans here. I even prepared a new dress for you. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yes, but…”

“What?!” the woman shouted angrily.

“It’s just, I don’t want to wear a dress. They make me uncomfortable.”

“Not this again. You’re my daughter. Dei made you such a beautiful girl, why can’t you accept that?”

“C-can’t I just be your child? Why does my gender disappoint you?”

A loud clapping noise echoed through the room. Alice couldn’t see what had just happened, but judging from the sound and how Pes stumbled away from Scientia, it was pretty clear what Scientia had just done.

“I had to suffer enough, raising you. You know how hard it is, being the mother of the one child who isn’t normal? The one with the defective daughter? I could hear the other mothers making fun of you and me. Isn’t it punishment enough that your brain doesn’t work how it should? Why do you have to make it even harder for me?”

Alice could feel her body start moving on its own. She was just about to emerge from under the bed and step in, no matter the consequences.

But in that exact moment, a familiar voice started talking.

“Didn’t you say this community is oh so accepting and progressive?” Xavier asked, standing in the open door.

“Stay out of this! This is a conversation between a mother and her daughter.”

“A mother and her child. And to be fair, it’s very generous to call you that,” Xavier added.

“Listen, I support you and your kind. You're allowed to do whatever you want with your body as long as you don’t harm anyone. But my daughter isn’t one of you. She can’t even comprehend the things she’s saying.”

“Wow, you seem like a real piece of work. You know what’s the number one thing in this whole wide world, that pisses me of the most? There are parents who would do anything to ensure the happiness of their children. But then there are people like you, claiming the same title, while always putting their happiness before that of their child. Children to them are just some kind of tool, and any sign of individuality is seen as some sort of inconvenience, an act of rebellion or hate towards their parents. I know your life is meaningless, but don’t make that your child’s problem, you stupid, fucking bitch.”

“Get out you piece of scum!” Scientia smacked him across the face, hard enough for his cheek to turn red in seconds.

Xavier calmly sighed and turned to Scientia’s child, noticing that their cheek had taken on a similar shade of red as his. “Kid, does she do this to you, too?”

He waited for his question to be answered with a hesitant nod.

Xavier’s eyes flashed in a way I had never seen before. Without any words, he grabbed Scientia by the collar before she could dodge.

He stared at her with a look of pure hatred and disgust while raising his fist.

Just as he was about to swing his fist, he was stopped. He looked over his shoulder, seeing Amy holding onto his arm.

“Are you insane?!” she asked, shocked.

“Let go of me!” Xavier said angrily.

“No, not when you’re acting like this!”

Xavier resentfully let go of Scientia. Amy instantly pushed him back into their room, which was opposite to Scientia’s.

“Dei will punish you for this!” Scientia yelled furiously, while Amy closed the door behind them.

“Did you see that? Do you really want to be like these people? And now I don’t want to hear any more of this Mika-nonsense. I’ve told you before, you are Pes, my daughter. I’ve worked hard for you to have an easy life, so don’t mess this up! Understood?”

Mika nodded with tears in their eyes.

“Great. You’ll stay in this room until the ceremony. Use the time to think about who you really are!” Scientia tried to speak softly, but her bitterness could still be heard.

Scientia walked towards the door. She noticed the envelope on the floor and quickly picked it up before leaving the room and locking the door.

Mika sank down to the floor, staring at the dress that Scientia had put on the bed.

Alice quietly breathed out, trying to calm down.

“Who are you?”

Alice jumped, hitting her head on the slats of the bed. Shocked, she looked to her right. Mika was curiously looking under the bed, wiping off their tears.

“S-sorry, I-I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No problem, everything’s fine. I’m wearing a helmet after all.” Alice crawled out from under the bed.

“Are you a spy?”

“Close, I’m an investigator.”

Mika’s eyes lit up. “A real investigator?! What kind of cases have you solved?”

“A murder, a treasure hunt, and an art theft. Stuff like that.”

“Wow! You’re like the Kettlers. They’re the main characters of my favorite book series.”

“The Clever Foxes, I know. Maeve told me about it.”

“You met Grandma Maeve?!”

“Yes. Her and Tzuriel. They actually sent me to save you.”

“Save me? But Mother says I’m safest here with her.”

“She actively abuses you.”

“Abuse? But isn’t that how Mothers are supposed to act?”

“No! Kid, I had shitty parents and they wouldn’t go this far. No matter how much they hated me, they would never resort to physical punishment.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yes. Let me ask you this: How do the Bandas treat you?”

“They’re really nice. They always give me new books to read and listen to me talk about them. Grandma Maeve loves to tell me stories from her childhood, and Grandpa Tzuriel helped me understand the German originals of Die Cleveren Füchse.”

“See, that’s what family is meant to be like. People who genuinely care about you and make you feel comfortable.”

“But I always make them sad.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, every time I have to go back home, they look sad.”

“That’s because they’re worried about you. They actually told me something similar about you. They say you always look sad when you have to go.”
Mika looked like they were thinking hard. “Can you leave me alone for a bit, Ms. Investigator?”

“Of course, I’ll wait in the lighthouse for you. Maybe I’ll read one of those books you love so much.”

“You have to read Book #98, it’s not my favorite, but it’s really good and great for beginners. Oh, wait, that one’s only in German. Maybe read Book #39, that one is really good and I have an English copy.”

“Okay, I will. By the way, you can call me Alice, no need for formalities.”

“Okay, Alice, you can call me Mika. Grandpa and Grandma gave me that name.”

“It’s a great name. I’ll get going. And if you decide you want to leave, then I will make sure you can live a great life out there, Mika. I promise.”

Mika nodded happily and sank back into thought, while Alice left.

Sunday, April 28, 11:55 am: Jade Bedroom, Diamond Estate

“What were you thinking?!” Amy asked, baffled.

“Should I just let her abuse the child?” Xavier countered angrily.

“No, but punching her won’t help. It might even make the situation worse for the kid. That’s not even getting into the fact that you are endangering the mission with your behavior.”

Xavier took a deep breath. “You’re right. I just… I can’t stand people like her. Parents are supposed to be a support for their kids, not their biggest bullies. At that point they should just ditch their kids, sure, they’re still pieces of shit, but at least they don’t keep harming the kids.”

“I don’t mean to pry, but your bias towards older people and the anger towards bad parents doesn’t have anything to do with your own parents, does it?”

Xavier turned around and started searching his backpack, which he put next to the bed.

“What do you mean, I don’t have parents? I thought you knew that.”

“I know, but it’s not like you don’t have biological relatives. You never told me about them.”

“Why would I waste time with that. My family is Natsu, Ralph, Alice, and you.”

“You consider me part of your family?”

“Of course. Family is always there for each other. And I know, you will always be there for me, just like I will always be there for you.”

Amy was flustered. “Thanks, that means a lot.”

“What do we do now?” Xavier asked.

Amy pulled out her phone. “It seems like Alice has sent me something,“ she said, starting to watch the video.

“Oh, that reminds me, I have something to show you. Via dropped this.” Xavier pulled out the small piece of metal.

Amy looked back and forth between the video and the artifact, realizing what it was. She quickly grabbed it and shoved it under a pillow, which she then sat on top of.

“What are you doing?”

“I just realized what this is. This thing is a bug.”

“Wait, that means all the members are being spied on?!”

“Makes sense, doesn’t it. Pax actually talked to a member about something she couldn’t have known about. She passed it off as something Dei had told her about.”

“But in actuality, she simply heard it with this,” Xavier finished the thought.

“Exactly. But I don’t think Pax herself is the one listening to all of the people. I think Fama is the one.”

“Who’s that?”

“According to the belief of the Disciples of Dei, it is her job to receive messages from Dei. For that, she has to stay in her meditation chamber, practically all the time.”

“And I assume the meditation chamber is the surveillance room from Alice’s video.”

“Yes, I guess I have to thank her for breaking her promise.”

“Do you think she can get her hands on the data in there?” Xavier asked.

“Looks like the way in is blocked, so probably not. But maybe we can try getting in there. We’d just have to wait for Fama to leave her room.”

“Let’s take turns keeping an eye on the room.”

“Sounds good. We just have to hope she didn’t hear too much of our conversation,” Amy pointed out.

Xavier tried to calm her down. “There is a lot of material to listen to. She can’t listen to everyone at once. Maybe she hasn’t even gotten to us yet.”

“You’re right. But you know, what I was wondering? Why was Via carrying this? He’s a high-ranking member. They don’t wear these.”

“It looked like it was somewhere on his clothes. Do you think someone wanted to spy on him?” Xavier suggested.

“That would explain it, but the motive seems unclear.”

“If we get our hands on the recording, the motive will probably become clear.”

“Okay, then let’s try getting in there,” Amy said, hopeful.

“Shouldn’t be too hard, after all, every person needs to go to the toilet at some point.”

Xavier is right that it sounds simple enough, but as is often the case, some things are more difficult than they seem.

Before Amy and Xavier got to work, Amy texted Alice the new information. The two took turns monitoring Fama’s room, but she stayed in there for hours.

Thankfully, there wasn’t much going on in the mansion, so they could mostly avoid getting noticed.

Towards the evening, Scientia returned to get Mika. From the small bits of conversation that she could hear, Amy learned that Mika apparently had to go to the kitchen to bless the food.

Some more time passed, and Amy and Xavier had to take a break. Everyone was gathering in the ceremonial hall on the second floor. They were having a communal dinner, and apparently, a new member would undergo an indoctrination ritual.

Sunday, April 28, 6:30 pm: Ceremonial Hall, Diamond Estate

This was the first time Amy and Xavier had entered the ceremonial hall. They hadn’t expected such a large room to be hiding in the building. It was mostly filled with rows of tables and benches, used for communal meals, as well as a place to sit during ceremonies. At the other end of the room, the floor had been slightly elevated, creating a stage of sorts that was mostly empty besides a large, round altar.

The places for the guests had been marked. Xavier, Amy, and the representatives sat next to the high-ranking members. Even Fama had shown up, but Amy and Xavier realized they could probably not leave without drawing attention to themselves. They couldn’t contact Alice either, meaning that this opportunity would be wasted.

To his dismay, Xavier realized he was seated facing Scientia, who was staring daggers at him. He noticed some ink stains on her hand. When she noticed him looking at the stains, she pulled her hand from the table.

After everyone was seated, Mika and an unknown member took the stage.

“Hey, where is Animus?” Xavier whispered to Salus. He had noticed the empty seat near him.

“He’s not feeling well. I went to see him and he was completely pale. I don’t think…”

“Quiet!” Scientia said sternly. She turned back to watch Mika on stage.

Mika was wearing their coat and the dress Scientia had picked out for them. They were clearly uncomfortable as they looked around the room. Nervously, they were opening and closing their hands, seemingly unaware.

They stopped and forced a smile when they noticed Scientia’s stern look.

The young man standing next to them was carrying a large bag, which he put next to the altar.

Mika started their speech, trying their best not to stutter. Emphasis on trying. The speech revealed that this was how every new member joins.

The sack was filled with all his material possessions, he still had, mostly cash, some watches, tech, branded clothes, and more. Mika pulled out a handful of cash and threw it into the large hole in the altar as a demonstration. After that, the new member dropped the whole sack in while the other members cheered him on.

Apparently, the hole in the altar led directly to the safe on the floor below.

After the ceremony, Mika had to announce the food before they could finally sit down, visibly relieved.

While eating the pasta he’d been served, Xavier looked at the much more elaborate and extravagant food the higher-ranking members had. He couldn’t stop feeling jealous, even though he liked the pasta.

While he finished his plate in a few minutes, Amy barely ate anything, even though Xavier pushed her to.

Xavier had hoped to leave early, but Fama was the first person to leave, so they would likely not get into her room for a while.

Amy and Xavier decided to return to their room until everything had calmed down a bit. They both sat down on their beds.

“Okay, now we just wait and then…” Amy had to let out a long yawn. “We wait, and then we continue our mission.

She felt unusually tired. She looked over to Xavier, who was lying in bed, fast asleep.

“Come on, we can’t sleep. We…” Amy tried to fight it, but she could feel her body slowly lying down. As her eyes closed and everything around her became dark, she could feel herself falling asleep.

???, April ???, ???: Guest Bedroom, Diamond Estate

It was dark when Amy woke up. Being awake might be an overstatement. She was still half asleep.

She could feel her stomach aching, and seemingly on its own, her body stood up. Driven by hunger, she left the room, hoping to find something to eat to stop her stomach from hurting.

It felt like she was seeing the world through a thick mist. As she walked towards the door, she blinked, and when she opened her eyes again, she was in the hallway. She walked a few steps until she closed her eyes again. After opening them, she stood on the stairs leading to the first floor. She noticed a pale light from downstairs. She grabbed onto the railing as her eyes started to close again.

When she opened them again, she must have been standing right next to the light source. She looked around, seeing a shadowy figure appear in front of her. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out.

Amy’s eyes fell shut one more time. When she opened them again, it was morning, and she was back in her bed. Looking to her right, she saw Xavier.

Monday, April 29, 7:30 am: Guest Bedroom, Diamond Estate

“What, where am I?” Amy asked, sitting up and looking around in confusion. She felt dizzy and her head ached.

“Xavier, wake up!” She had to shake him for a while until he finally woke up.

“What happened? Did I fall asleep?”

“Yes, I think just after dinner we both fell asleep.”

“Do you think someone put something in our food?” Xavier asked.

“What, like roofies?”

“Probably. How else would you explain how quickly both of us fell asleep, despite not being tired before dinner?”

“I guess that would explain it. But something weird happened this night.”

“You weren’t asleep?”

“I was, for most of it. Maybe the drug had not as strong an effect on me.”

“Or you just didn’t eat as much of it as I did.”

“Or that. But when I woke up, I remember walking through the hallway, down into the first floor, I think. I only remember snip bits, but I think there was someone else there. A dark figure, walking around with a lantern or something, that’s the last thing I remember, before I woke up here.”

“And you’re certain it wasn’t a dream?”

“I don’t know, it kinda feels like a dream, but part of me says it was real.”
“I trust your intuition. That means we’ll have to find out who this figure was and what they were up to,” Xavier said.

“Maybe that person was the one who…” Amy couldn’t finish her sentence. A loud scream of shock echoed through the mansion.

Both were still a bit wobbly on their feet, but they managed to walk to the staircase.

Many people had already gathered in the entrance hall below them. Most of them seemed dizzy, too. They all stared in one direction.

Xavier and Amy walked down the stairs, seeing what everyone was so shocked about. The large vault door was open, and inside, there was nothing, not even a single coin.

“What happened?” Xavier asked, making his way closer to the vault.

“Isn’t it obvious? Someone robbed the treasure chamber!” Gladius said angrily. He and some of his guards were preventing the other people from coming closer.

Xavier got as close as he could. The room was fully plated with steel. The ceiling, floor, and all four walls looked solid, and there was seemingly no way in besides the door.

“Look, there are no traces of the door being forced open. Whoever did this is either a professional or knows the code. A door like this, you won’t get open after simply watching some YouTube tutorials,” Xavier pointed out to Amy.

“Hey, get away from the door, this is a job for the guards!” Gladius yelled, clearly stressed.

“Gladius, who knew the code for the vault?” Xavier asked, seemingly forgetting he was supposed to be in disguise.

“What?” Gladius looked at him, confused.

“I don’t see any traces of someone breaking the door open, so it might have been someone who knew the code.”

“Are you accusing your superiors?” Gladius tried to make himself look taller than Xavier, but Xavier was still taller because of his general height combined with his heels.

“If you want to know, only Pax and I know the code. And I trust Pax with my life. You, on the other hand, are outsiders. Who tells me you…” Gladius turned to a guard next to him. He’d just gotten here and tried to get Gladius’ attention by clearing his throat.

“What, did you find something?”

The other guard whispered something that clearly upset Gladius. “This has to be a joke! You stay here and keep an eye on the vault. The other guards come with me!”

Two guards stayed behind while the rest followed Gladius into the basement. They walked directly to the staircase Alice had used to get in.

Amy and Xavier were able to follow them before one of the guards could block the path.

At the bottom, the door to the other room Alice had seen was now open. When Xavier and Amy managed to catch a glimpse, they saw Animus lying there motionless. The blood, stuck to his hair and skin, had the same color as his bright, glittery jacket.

“I can’t believe it, first the treasure chamber gets robbed and now one of the representatives is dead!?” Gladius stepped closer, as did Xavier.

A few people besides the guards had managed to get downstairs. Among them was Via, who now forced his way back upstairs, clearly in a hurry.

“Someone has to call the police!” Amy said nervously.

“No, this is a crime against our community and will be tried by our community,” Gladius said sternly.

“With all due respect, this is clearly a murder case. A self-appointed militia should not deal with this!” Amy answered.

“We’ve been chosen by Dei herself. There is no one more fit for this case than us guards.”

Xavier gave Amy a sign. She understood and made her way back upstairs.

“How did this get here?” one of the guards asked, pointing to a large sack right next to the corpse. It was filled with valuables, some of which had spilled out.

“Looks like the one that was sacrificed yesterday,” Xavier pointed out.

“It certainly is from our treasure chamber. But why is it here? Did the thief put it here?” Gladius thought out loud.

“But why would only this much be here?” Salus asked. She had also made her way downstairs.

“Maybe Animus is actually the thief, and he was murdered while escaping,” Flumen theorized.

“Or he caught the thief in the act and was murdered because he was a witness,” Salus countered.

“Whoever killed him certainly didn’t go easy on him, even just looking at him, you can tell that multiple bones are broken, and his skull is possibly fractured,” Xavier explained.

“That means, the attacker must be pretty strong, right?” Flumen asked.

“Let’s say it like this. He’d probably look the same after a fight with a bull. The cracked bones might be caused by someone with a baseball bat or something like that, but the twisted neck seems to go against that theory.”

“You seem to know a lot about this kind of stuff,” Gladius pointed out, suspicious of Xavier.

“I just used to watch a lot of crime shows on TV.”

While the guards investigated the corpse further, Xavier looked around the room. It wasn’t very large and had seemingly been around for a long time. The walls were made of old stone bricks, and the ceiling, which was held up by multiple support beams, was a solid piece of rock, probably part of the cliff. When his eyes had gotten used to the dark, Xavier noticed a large hole in the ceiling. It looked like some sort of well shaft, but no matter how hard he tried, Xavier couldn’t see the end of the shaft. In fact, because of the darkness, he could barely see further than a few feet in.

“What’s this hole for?”

Gladius looked up to the hole that was almost directly above the corpse. “I don’t know, probably an old chimney or something. Why do you care?” he answered, annoyed.

“It might have something to do with the case. Where does it lead?”

“Listen, I don’t know. Just let me do my…” Gladius hesitated. He stared at the floor below the corpse. He’d just turned the corpse around, revealing an object under it.

“Is that…?”

“It’s a gun!” Gladius confirmed the other guard’s realization.

“Was Animus carrying that?” Xavier asked.

“A Disciple of Dei doesn’t use such weaponry,” Gladius answered.

“Maybe he’s carrying more suspicious things!” Before the guards could stop him, Xavier started searching Animus’ pockets. He found a note that said: “I know what you did. Altar, midnight.”

Gladius took the note and pushed Xavier back. The guards continued their investigation for a while before returning upstairs.

During all that, Amy had gone back to her room to call the police, but despite telling them about the murder, she was simply brushed off.

Nervously, she called Alice, who didn’t pick up. Amy then sent her a message detailing the situation and returned to the entrance hall.

Monday, April 29, 8:20 am: Entrance Hall, Diamond Estate

“There she is, that’s the second murderer!” were the first words Amy heard as she came down the stairs.

Surprised, she looked around. Everyone was looking at her. In the middle of the entrance hall was Xavier, tied up and surrounded by guards.

She noticed that the front door was open. Outside was the carriage, with Via sitting on top. Amy realized that in front of the carriage were the corpses of the representatives whom Xavier and Amy were impersonating, lying on the ground.

“Get her!” Gladius yelled.

“What?! No, this is a misunderstanding! We didn’t kill them!” Before she could attempt to run away, two guards had already grabbed her and tied her hands together.

“Listen, we discovered the corpses and that’s why…”

“Shut up! We have testimony from someone who witnessed your heinous act!” Gladius exclaimed.

“Who?!” Amy asked, confused.

“Oculus, the Hermit. He came here to tell us about the crime you committed,” Pax explained, while approaching Amy.

“Where is he?”

“He’s sitting in the carriage. It is not allowed for him to be seen by anyone but Dei,” Pax said calmly.

“Oculus, tell them what you told us!” Scientia demanded.

The voice of an old man came from the carriage. “As I was sitting in my home two nights ago, I heard the representatives of the Jade Clan arrive. They must have been delayed by something. There were also two other voices. The two strangers who shot them. They proceeded to bury the corpses behind the house. I could hear them planning to impersonate their victims to infiltrate our community and continue their work.”

“That’s a complete lie, we stumbled onto the corpses and wanted to find the murderer,” Amy tried to explain.

“Silence, guards, take them to the ceremonial hall! We’ll hold a trial there!” Pax commanded.

While they were dragged into the ceremonial hall, Xavier remained completely silent. He seemed deep in thought, while Amy desperately tried to explain the situation.

Everyone assembled in the hall. They sat down, waiting for the trial to begin. Their faces clearly showed their anger toward Amy and Xavier. The two were placed in front of the altar, on their knees, facing the crowd. Multiple guards stood next to them, their swords ready to strike. Looking out into the crowd, it seemed like every member was present. Amy could see every high-ranking member somewhere in the crowd, beside Pax and Gladius, who were with them on the stage.

The only ones who were missing were the Hermit, who stayed outside in the carriage, and Fama, who was mysteriously absent.

“Silence!” Pax said to break up the chatter of the crowd, still in her usual calm tone. “I hereby begin the trial of these two unknown intruders. They stand accused of murdering three of our members, stealing all of our sacrifices to Dei, impersonating two people, and defacing our sacred traditions. We’ve already heard from a trusted source that they did it, so there is no real need to continue this trial for much longer, unless the accused have any way of disproving the accusations.”

Amy looked around, panicked. She had no idea what to do, but as she heard Xavier begin to speak, she felt much safer.

“I’m sorry, but where is this witness?” Xavier asked calmly. Isn’t it normal for a witness to appear in court?”

“As I said before, Oculus shall not be seen by anyone but Dei. He’s already made his statement before everyone present, so there is no need for him to show up in court.”

“I think if you allow the statement of someone not even appearing in court, we at least should have the right to make a statement detailing our side of the story. We might not have any definitive proof yet, but we can at least tell you our side of the story.”

“Then speak your desperate lies,” Pax answered, annoyed.

“Thank you. I would like to begin by asking you a question. The allegations against us are very extreme. What is supposed to be our motive?”

“That is what you wanted to ask us? Clearly, you wanted to steal our sacrifices. People like you only care about material wealth. To get to it, you murdered two people and then impersonated them. Last night you stole the valuables, but you were caught by Animus, so you murdered him,” Gladius answered.

“That sounds logical, but tell me, why wouldn’t we leave? Staying here would only put us in danger, so why wouldn't we leave? Considering the treasure is nowhere to be found, the thieves must have brought it somewhere else.”

“Well, that…” Gladius stammered, looking for an answer.

“Further, you have to agree that looking at the note Animus was carrying, his death was clearly planned, not some accidental murder.”

“What note?” Pax asked.

“This one.” Gladius handed Pax the note that she proceeded to read out loud.

“Why would we lure him into this room when we’re trying to be undetected. And how did he end up in the room downstairs?”

“Maybe the note wasn’t by you. But when he went to the ceremonial hall, he saw you. He then followed you to the pier, where you noticed him,” Pax theorized.

“That’s not all pointing to you being the thieves. We found this backpack in your bedroom, filled with all sorts of things. Including tools used by burglars.” Gladius pointed to Xavier’s backpack, which was being held up triumphantly by one of the guards.

“Wait, we couldn’t have committed the crime, we were asleep, after someone had mixed sleeping drugs in our food,” Amy pointed out.

“I felt unnaturally sleepy after dinner, too,” Salus agreed, followed by more people in the crowd backing her up with similar reports.

“You could be lying. Furthermore, you could have been the ones putting the drugs in the fo…”

“No, we couldn’t!” Xavier cut Gladius off. “How would we have done that? We never got close to the food before it had been served. Ask anyone responsible for cooking or serving it.”

“They’re speaking the truth. I always keep an eye on the food and never saw them near it,” the head chef reported from the middle of the crowd.

“Maybe you had an accomplice in the kitchen,” Pax explained calmly, waving off the argument.

Xavier tried to think of a way to win over the crowd. He knew he had to discredit just one of the arguments convincingly, and at least some of the crowd would be more open to his explanations.

Amy noticed how he was desperately trying to think of something. “Xavier, I know you can do this. Think of something, no matter how outlandish it sounds.”

Xavier looked up, determined with newfound motivation.

“I want you to listen to me. There is something that is muddying the waters, and I want to clear it up.”

“What are you talking about?” Gladius asked, getting more annoyed.

“There was no theft happening last night, and there couldn’t have been one, because there was never anything in the vault!” he yelled out, so that every member of the audience could hear him loud and clear.

Gladius started laughing. “What are you talking about? This is a bit desperate, don’t you think?”

“Not at all. Did you ever see the treasure in the vault? You know the code after all.”

“Why would I? The vault is to remain locked forever, so the sacrifices aren’t disturbed.”

“If I understand correctly, the sacrifices are thrown into this altar and fall down into the vault, right?”

Gladius and Pax stayed quiet.

“Yes, that’s how it was explained to me!” Mika said from the crowd. They were nervously looking around, as if they were waiting for something.

“Please, Gladius, explain to me how something would fall into the vault if there is no opening in it besides the door?”

“What?! I, that, maybe Dei…”

“So, you don’t know. Let me tell you what actually happens when something is thrown into the altar. It falls down and ends up in the room where we found Animus’ body. There is a hole in the ceiling of that room, and it explains how the sacrifices from yesterday ended up there.”

Gladius didn’t know what to say.

“If you don’t believe us, just throw something into the altar. I put my hand in the fire, saying that it won’t end up in the vault.”
“And I’ll put mine in there as well, saying that it will end up in the chamber next to the corpse,” Amy agreed.

“That won’t be necessary,” Pax spoke softly and with a calm voice.

“But why?” someone from the crowd yelled.

“Did you lie to us?!” someone else asked angrily.

“You must understand. We wish we could sustain this community without money, but in this society, it is simply impossible. That’s why Dei allowed us to use the sacrifices as a monetary support. We are sorry for deceiving you, but we were afraid you’d lose faith in us.”

A hectic murmuring echoed through the crowd until it turned into loud cheering. “Long live Dei, our generous guardian!” the crowd repeated again and again, getting louder and louder.

Amy and Xavier looked around, shocked at the way this was turning out.

“Please, quiet down. I’m sure Dei appreciates your praises, and we thank you for your forgiveness. But we must continue this trial,” Pax said.

The room became quiet again.

“Thank you. Now, let me pose this question to the accused. Did this reveal accomplish anything?”

Amy hesitated, but Xavier answered without a second thought. “Of course it did. This proves that the murder of Animus took place here, and the note was used to lure him to his demise.”

“That means we only have to prove who the murderer is, and the case is solved,” Amy added.

“And I know someone who’s been trying to hide their ink-stained hand since yesterday. Say, Scientia, what have you been writing? Maybe a note to your victim?”

Scientia stepped forward, not hesitating for a minute. “Yes, I have stains on my hands, big surprise. I have to oversee all types of production. Naturally, I take notes. Is that a crime?”

Xavier was about to add something as Gladius stopped him. “I have a question for you. Animus was seemingly carrying a gun. Wouldn’t he have just shot his attacker?”

Amy and Xavier were trying to think of an answer, as a loud creaking filled the room. Everyone looked to the door. Two police officers walked in to everyone’s surprise.

The whole room fell quiet as everyone just stared at them.

“Is everyone okay? We were called about a potential bomb threat,” one of the officers explained, looking around the room.

“Yes, that was me!”

Everyone turned around in surprise, looking at the person clad in black, who’d seemingly appeared out of nowhere behind Gladius.

“The Black Man!” the crowd screamed.

“How did you get here?!” Gladius said, shocked, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. He noticed the open secret door behind him.

“Big thanks to the police and their great timing. Friend and helper indeed. I assume you now understand how the killer could sneak up on the victim. The killer simply went through the secret passage while the victim was standing behind the altar, facing the entrance. Then all it took was a quick push from behind, and he fell down the shaft.” Alice explained, while the balaclava covered her devilish smirk.

“There are secret passages in the walls?” the crowd said in surprise.

“Yes, there are. Fun fact, one of the hidden doors leads into Scientia’s bedroom. Convenient, isn’t it?” Alice explained, looking right at Scientia.
“A great story, but let me ask you one thing, when were the other two murdered?” Pax asked.

“Probably shortly before the other representatives arrived at the Hermit’s house,” Xavier answered.

“Then it wasn’t me, I was busy working in the lab,” Scientia said, sounding victorious.

“That’s true, I saw her!”

“True!”
“I saw her as well!”

The crowd yelled loudly in support of Scientia.

“See, not only do you not have any proof of Scientia murdering Animus, you still are clearly the main suspects in the murder of the jade representatives. Guards, lock them up!” Pax spoke authoritatively.

“You heard her!” Gladius said loudly.

“Hold on!” Alice said. She quickly pulled out multiple vials from the Crimebuster’s pouches. Before anyone could react, she chucked them into the crowd, where they broke open, releasing a terrible stench that made the people around nearly throw up.

“What was that?!” one of the officers asked.

“That’s a highly explosive gas that is currently spreading through the entire room.” Alice pulled out something else. “And this is a taser. Guess what happens when I use it.”

The police officers pulled out their guns, aiming them at Alice. “Drop the taser, or we’ll shoot!”

Alice started laughing. “Wow, you really aren’t the brightest. It doesn’t matter if I use the taser or if you fire your pistols. The outcome for both is a giant ball of fire, the outcome of which will make Jonestown look like child’s play. So, how about we all sit down and continue this trial?”

The police officers lowered their guns hesitantly.

“Don’t tell me you’re surprised. I literally called in a bomb threat.”

“What is there to further discuss? You guys don’t have any evidence,” Gladius said, nervously keeping an eye on the taser. He slowly pulled out his sword.

“Believe me, I can light a fire before you’ve pulled your sword. So don’t even think about it.”

“Okay, just don’t do anything you’ll later regret,” Gladius said, letting go of the sword and raising his hands in the air.

“To answer your question, I would like to point out something. To discredit their argument, you simply said that Scientia couldn’t be the killer because she couldn’t have committed the other murder. But according to an expert I spoke to, should there be multiple crimes connected to a cult, it is statistically most likely that they were committed by different people, as part of a difference in beliefs and values. Who says that Animus was killed by the same person as the other victims?”

“That is true,” Xavier agreed. “Think about it. The other two were killed with a gun. Animus was carrying a gun and received a note regarding something he did.”

“And that thing was the double murder,” Amy added.

“Do you have proof?” Gladius asked.

“Yes, I do. Flumen, you said you were the first one to enter the house of the Hermit, right?” Xavier asked.

“Yes, I was first. But Animus arrived last, so he couldn’t have done it.”

“At least it seemed like he got there last. If I remember correctly, you said he was so late he didn’t even set foot in the house.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Unfortunately for him, we found proof of him being inside the house. Traces of the red glitter from his clothes, something no one else here wears.”

“You can go check if you don’t believe it. I’m sure the glitter is still there,” Amy added.

“In actuality, it only appeared like he got there last, but in reality, multiple people got there before Flumen, including Animus. Both Ruby and Jade were there first.”
“Why would he murder the two?” Salus asked.

“Simple, to get a higher rank,” Xavier said.

“There were two positions available and five possible recipients. That puts the odds at 40%. And obviously, it was very likely for at least one position to go to the Jade Clan. Unfairly, they sent two representatives. Getting rid of them puts the odds of receiving a high-ranking position at 66%,” Alice explained.

“You make it sound like he’d planned to kill the two, but how could he have known they would get there before everyone else or that he would have enough time to hide the corpses?” Salus countered.

“Simple, as far as I know, some high-ranking members of the Diamond Clan knew the arrival times. What if one of them told him? Maybe someone who could even help him hide the corpses. Someone who had an excuse to go to the Hermit’s house.” Alice looked at Via.

“Are you accusing me?! What would I have to gain from helping Animus? I don’t even know him!”

“Yes, you did!” Xavier’s face lit up. “Via, do you know something about chemistry?”

“Of course not. Scientia is the one in charge of the lab.”

“You liar! You were the one who gave us the recipe for the crystals! And you were the one who suggested them to begin with!” Scientia yelled, outraged, breaking her composed facade.

“Thanks for the help. And to say, what you idiots clearly don’t want to realize, the crystals you produce are clearly crystal meth. I saw the lab with my own eyes,” Alice said tauntingly.

“You got the Diamond Clan to produce meth you could sell. If Animus had gotten a high-ranking position, he could have gotten the Ruby Clan to do the same,” Xavier added.

Via scoffed at the accusation.

“And you know what, I finally realized where I knew Animus’ face from. The newspaper published a picture of him a while ago. I saw it during research at some point. He had been arrested for producing and selling methamphetamine. Apparently, he and his partner were big figures in the business. And the police never found his accomplice. Maybe because he was hiding in a religious commune, working his way up the ranks,” Xavier explained.

“Bullshit!”

“Oh really, those scars of yours wouldn’t happen to be chemical burns, stemming from your time cooking meth?”

“You damn brat!”

“Is that the best insult you can think of?” Alice joked.

“Wait, but what about the Hermit? He said he heard you committing the crime,” Gladius pointed out.

“Has anyone ever seen the Hermit?” Xavier asked.

“This again. No one…” Pax began, annoyed.

“I know. But he wasn’t always the Hermit. Did anyone ever see Oculus before he became the Hermit?”

“I have,” Pax answered.

“Me too,” Via said.

“Okay, but beside you?”

No one answered. Everyone looked around, hoping for someone to dispute Xavier’s claim.

“Apparently, he received his title at the same time as Via. And now let me ask you this, has anyone ever heard the Hermit’s voice without Via being present?”

Again, the crowd was waiting for someone to answer, but no one could.

“The Hermit doesn’t exist, don’t you see? Via must be a ventriloquist, making it seem like another high-ranking member exists. This was probably done in collaboration with Pax. Maybe to give the higher ranks more validity, by making it seem like more people could receive them, or maybe it was to answer some questions about where the products were going. The reason truly doesn’t matter. What matters is that the Hermit doesn’t exist, and with that, his report of the events is null and void,” Amy said, gaining some confidence.

“Ventriloquist? What a shitty accusation is that?” Via asked, his eyes twitching nervously.

“Show us proof of the Hermit existing!” Xavier demanded.

“You can’t. To add the cherry on top. We were in the locked rooms of the Hermit’s house. Not only was no one living there, but the corpses were also hidden there. I assume you have the key.”

“Eat shit!” Via said angrily.

“And now to make the connection. Scientia was…” Alice began.

“Weren’t you listening? There is no proof that I committed the murder. How would I even know Animus murdered them?”

“If you let me finish, then I’ll tell you. Yesterday I was in your room and I noticed an envelope that had been slid under your door. And I’d put her hands in the fire, saying that this envelope told you exactly that.” Alice pointed at Amy.

“My hands, why not yours?!”

“What’s yours is mine. Never heard of sharing?”

“Who’d just believe something like that?” someone in the audience asked.

“Good question. No one could truly be so dumb and believe something written in a strange text backed up with no proof, right?” Alice asked with a taunting tone. “Well, maybe someone would believe it if it were implied that the message was sent by a higher being.”

“Oh, I see what she’s getting at. Most high-ranking members are clearly just in this for power and wealth, but Scientia is different. Sure, she probably is in this for power too, but she actually believes in Dei,” Xavier said.

“Are you saying that Pax and the others don’t actually believe in Dei? That’s insane!” Gladius said.

 “Seems like we’ve found someone else who actually believes this crap. But I bet that the founding members don’t believe in Dei. Including Fama, the one who allegedly receives messages from Dei. What would happen if she sent Scientia a message that Animus is a traitor and needs to be punished, in the name of Dei? Fama simply needs to sign it to give it legitimacy in the eyes of a believer,” Alice explained.

“And she would likely know about the secret passages. So, she might have even given Scientia clear instructions on how to commit the murder,” Amy continued the explanation.

“And Fama knew about the murder because of this.” Xavier showed the small listening device he’d found the day before. “All of these things are used to listen in on your conversations. And Fama simply attached one to Via’s clothes.”

Silence overcame the room. No one spoke for a while, shocked by the accusation.

“Lies!” one person in the crowd yelled. Then another joined in. More and more people started chanting, but Alice wasn’t bothered. She reached into Xavier’s Backpack, without letting go of the taser.

“I’m sorry for taking from your harvest. I couldn’t get enough to reach my quota. Can you forgive me?” The crowd turned quiet. They all looked at the phone Alice had pulled out, which was playing a series of recordings of the different cult members.

“If this isn’t enough for you, I’ve got a surprise for you. But I’ll need someone from the audience.”

Alice looked around the room. “Yes, you there, the blond kid in the front. Can you go into the secret passage and get my special guest?”

Mika nodded and walked through the hidden door, their hands excitedly twitching. They returned shortly after, followed by Fama, who was tied up.

Everyone looked at her as she stood in front of the crowd with tears in her eyes.

“Everything they said is true!” She couldn’t bring herself to look at the crowd. Her face was marked with a pained expression.

The crowd was shocked and in disbelief.

“Fama, shut your mouth!” Pax said. Her tone changed completely.

“No, I won’t. I’m done with this. I no longer want to be the Red Eye’s marionette.”

“Stop talking! Do you want us all to die?” one of the cops yelled out, scared.

“Does that mean Scientia killed Animus?” someone in the audience asked, still unsure.

Before anyone could answer, Scientia got on stage. In a last attempt at saving herself, she said, “Yes, it is true, I killed him. Because people like him treat us like dirt. Listen to how the intruders talk about us and our beliefs. They call us a cult and stupid. We are being discriminated against, and Dei wants us to rise and fight back!”

Mika looked at her concerned, as did the people in the crowd.

But quickly, some people started applauding. Only a part of the audience did, while the others looked at them in unease.

“Seems like our work is done,” one of the officers said, while getting up and walking towards the door.

“Wait, what?! Multiple people here were involved in the murders of three people. Arrest them!” Xavier said, confused by their disinterest.

“Not necessary, seems like the Disciples of Dei have it all under control.”

“What kind of bullshit is this?” Alice asked angrily.

“Oh, come on. We can’t get involved. This is so much bigger than a few murders.”

“Are you talking about Dei?” Amy asked in disbelief.

“They mean the Red Eye. It’s a criminal organization we were selling the drugs to,” Fama explained.

“Shut your mouth!” one of the cops yelled.

“Seems like this organization has power over the police, or at least parts of it,” Alice said. “No wonder they wouldn’t come here when I called them about the murder.”

“Wow, you’re a real clever one,” the other cop said angrily.

“I guess you wouldn’t want this information to get out, right?” Alice asked.

“Are you threatening us?”

“No, I would never. But I wanted to tell you that there are listening devices all around you.”

“Ha, we’ll just have Pax delete the recordings.”

“You could, but what would you say if I had been streaming all of this directly to all the police departments near here?”

“You did what?!” One of the cops fell down on his knees, crying in fear. “Y-you’ve doomed us all!”

Everyone watched, frozen in fear, as the other cop raised his weapon, aimed it at Alice, and pulled the trigger.

An ear-shattering bang sounded from the barrel, and the bullet flew, seemingly in slow motion, towards Alice, hitting her in the chest. Most of the people in the room were either frozen in fear or had taken cover, expecting a large explosion.

Before anyone knew what was going on, Alice ran forward. She knew she had to act fast, now that her bluff had been revealed. She jumped off the stage and forced the cop to the ground.

Some members of the audience tried pulling Alice away, while the rest watched in shock.

“What are you doing? Help her!” Mika yelled out as loudly as they could.

Some members tried to help Alice, and it didn’t take long for a large fight to break out, even involving the guards fighting each other. Xavier joined in as well, trying to get Alice to safety.

Pax, Scientia, Via, and Gladius could only watch as the world they had ruled was falling apart in front of them.

Amy and Mika were relieved, hearing sirens from afar, quickly getting closer.

Thankfully, the police officers who arrived at the scene were able to get the situation under control. Amy had never seen this many officers in one place. They must have been from different departments all across the nearby towns.

Amy and Xavier watched as all the members were gathered and led away by the police.

Although not every member was present.

The residents of Stony Shores had gathered outside the Estate to observe the spectacle. Among them was Ryleigh, who was looking for her mother among the cult members.

She locked eyes with her mother for a few seconds before she entered one of the police cars.

Lingua had a conflicted look on her face as she saw her daughter.

Monday, April 29, 10:40 am: Lighthouse, Stony Shores

Alice and Mika had snuck out during the chaos. Alice sat in Mika’s private library on the floor. Mika was lying next to her, their head on Alice’s legs.

“What’s going to happen to me?” Mika asked.

“I don’t know. Do you have any relatives?”

“I’ve never met any of them. I don’t even know if I have any. Can’t I just stay with Grandma Maeve and Grandpa Tzuriel?”

“I hope so, but I think you’ll be put in the care of a relative. I’m not an expert on the subject.”

“What if they’re like Mother?”

“I promised you a perfect life, right. Now our plan might have failed, but that promise still stands. Should you ever need me, I’ll be there.”

“Even if my new family is nice?”

“Of course. I’ll make sure to visit you.”

“Even if you have to walk through a blizzard in the Antarctic?” Mika asked.

“Even if I had to swim through lava. We’re friends after all.”

“Promise?”

“Pinky promise.” Alice held out her pinky. Mika just looked at it, confused.

“It’s the strongest form of promise. We just lock our pinkies like this and…” Alice grabbed Mika’s hand and noticed the string tied around their fingers.

“What is this for?”

“Mother tied it because sometimes my fingers move on their own, making funny movements. Mother said it wasn’t ladylike, and I had to stop.”

“Well first, that is absolute bull crap and second, you’re not a lady, so it doesn’t even apply to you.”

“Does that mean you don’t think of me as a girl?”

“Why would I, you dummy?”

“Thank you!” Mika gave Alice a strong hug.

“Okay, hold still, I have to remove the knot you goof.”

Mika excitedly watched as Alice released their fingers. The two finished their pinky promise.

“I knew I would find you here,” Amy said as she entered the room, followed by Xavier.

“Pretty cozy in here,” Xavier said, looking around.

“Alice, I have to compliment you. You did a great job. Without you, we couldn’t have done it. In fact, we would probably rot in a cell or be sliced in half,” Xavier said.

“You’re thanking the wrong person. Mika did most of the work.”

“So, you were working with Alice?” Amy asked, surprised.

“Who do you think is the expert I was referring to? Tell them how you solved the case.”

Mika looked around proudly and started excitedly fidgeting with their fingers. “Well, I just thought about my favorite investigators, besides you guys. In the series The Clever Foxes, there are currently 19 cases involving religious groups, cults, sects, or anything like that. In 13 of these, there are multiple crimes committed, and out of those, 11 cases had multiple culprits working against each other. So, I just kept these statistics in mind when thinking about this case.”

“They quickly solved most of it after you had texted me this morning. Some details were missing, but we filled them in during the trial and with the help of our captive.”

“Haha, I’ve never heard of an investigator solving cases with the help of children’s books, but I guess sometimes reality mirrors fiction,” Xavier said.

“The Clever Foxes aren’t kids’ books. The early ones were aimed at teenagers, but for a while now, the main series has been written with a mature audience in mind. Young Kettlers, on the other hand, is meant for kids. It’s the spin-off following…”

“Mika, I think you’ll have enough time to tell us all about your favorite book series. Take it slow,” Alice said, smiling.

“You know, I knew you were a clever kid when I noticed your little trick for obtaining money,” Xavier said.

“They have a trick for obtaining money?” Amy asked.

“Yes, they do. They created a small pocket on the inside of their sleeve. During the ceremony, when they throw money down into the altar, they put some of it in that pocket.”
“Clever,” Amy said, impressed.

“But I only took a little every time.”

“Don’t worry. You deserve it more than someone like Pax,” Alice calmed them down.

“But that reminds me. In all that chaos, we seem to have forgotten one mystery,” Xavier said.

“Which one?” Mika asked cluelessly.

“Who put the sleeping drug in the pasta and opened the vault. You two wouldn’t happen to know someone with access to the kitchen and someone who can crack a vault, would you?” Xavier asked, clearly knowing the answer already.

Mika and Alice shook their heads, looking around the room and acting innocent.

This concludes another case. They leave the small town having gained not only some new allies but potentially some new and powerful enemies. The question going forward seems to be how powerful this Red Eye organization is and who is part of it.

Sadly, the police couldn’t get anything new out of Fama and the other members of the cult.

But at least they promised to keep the involvement of the D&M Detective Agency, Ryleigh, Mika, and the Bandas a secret so as not to put them in danger.

But there is some good news to announce. It seems that this case actually made some of the Disciples of Dei realize who they were following. After most of them had been let go by the police.

It would probably take a while for them to readjust, and there will undoubtedly be members who won’t learn from the experience, tragically having gone too far down the rabbit hole.

But as always, I will leave you with a taste of what’s to come. And the next one will be intense, as we’ll explore the border between the real and the paranormal. Our investigators will come face to face with creatures believed to only exist in fiction.