"... Is it a hobby to get kidnapped?" Creed teased.

"I would prefer it if your lower lip would remain in contact with your upper one, and your tongue immobile. And no, it is not. This is only the sixth time," Seriven shot back.

"Sixth!?"

"This month," Seriven added in a mumble.

"From what!?"

"It matters not. Now, I must be going- I have something that needs attending, and your presence displeases me." He turned to me and said "well, I hope I won't have the pleasure of meeting you again, Sheenock. Farewell."

He turned to where we came from, and left. Or tried to.

Clanking resounded from the stairs, echoing from the narrow walls.

The first one that descended held Seriven by his arm, and pushed him in when his foot travel the last step. The intruder was covered in a branded armor with a crest that contained wings covering an orb. His sword was drawn, and he looked around the room, the rest of his men coming in behind him and flanking his sides, as he said "Halt, cease all movement and lower your weapons. I am Esder, leader of the personal guard of count Parós, and I will take charge of this incident. Any resistance will be met with force, and anyone questioning my authority will be taken into custody."

Well. 

As Creed looked around, he whispered in my ear "The stink of conspiracy is the consistency of a muckpit that's been stirred seven times over, and plopped in for an additional eight."

I thought it over, thinking back to the cheese song I heard, and Creed's amazing ability to pull stories from his tail.

I took out an insignia of house Goldwing, and handed it over to Creed. "Then do something about it," I told him.

"How did you get this!?" He whispered fervently back.

"Insurance."

He gave me an appreciating look and walked in front of me.

"Settle down friends, we've already taken care of everything."

"Who are you?" Esder demanded.

"I can only tell you that we" he gestured with his head at me, "are a secret task force directly under duke Goldwing," and he brandished the insignia. He then put it into his pocket and continued, "He has given us the authority and express permission to take matters into our own hands as we see fit, regarding a certain case- the results of which" he gestured at the bodies strewn about "are clear for anyone to see."

I looked at Creed, wondering if maybe he really was some undercover agent. Then I blinked and remembered that I had just given him the insignia.

He was really convincing. Enough for the Esder to start stuttering "y-you- you- how did-that's- why did duke Goldwing send you into Parós' mansion!?"

"Clearly, you need to clean your ears- our little investigation just happened to lead us here."

Esder seemed annoyed but reserved in the presence of higher authority.

Creed continued "of course," he looked left and right, "everything here shall be seized in the name of the duke. Excluding the people of course."

"You can't do that!" Esder exclaimed furiously.

"I can," Creed stated.

"You can?"

"Yes."

And Esder's face fell.

"Now," Creed surmised, turning to the now free hostages, "everyone may leave, and take your personal belongings with you."

They thanked Creed on their way out, except Seriven, who pushed his way up to get out as quickly as possible, and Creed and I were left with the guards.

"Well, muckheads, get moving!"

And they ran up the stairs, many confused about how to proceed. When the last step stopped echoing, I said "time to loot!"

"Will it be okay?"

"What?" I turned to Creed.

"Using the name of nobility might be a capital offence or something."

"Maybe, but the world of intrigue and aristocracy is always focussed on benefits, and taking down a cult with a personal force is probably a boost in reputation, and doing it in another noble's back yard is a serious leverage. Not to mention we had Üorénén's backing."

"Üorénén? What about him?"

"He's probably some form of aristocrat. Didn't you notice his office? It looked pretty neat. And what sort of regular person has an office that he can sit on a couch in and read leisurely?"

He mulled it over and then asked, "did you think about it before you handed me that crest?"

"No, of course not. Time to loot!"

And loot we did.