Kazimir accepted a different breed of quest this time. No more grandma’s in need but a detective. Or at least a man that thought he was. Dex Miller, from what locals say, is a man that believes himself to be a detective but has no credentials to prove such experience. Regardless he put in an odd request to… Investigate a strange entity by the river. It certainly peaked the young knights curious side, and he eagerly set out to meet him.

 
The bar where Dex wanted to meet was a local establishment and well known. The doors swung open revealing people all sitting casually around tables and then there was Dex Millar, alone and at a booth. A cold beer was in his hand. The ash tray was scattered with cigarette buts. He took a slow, cool drink of his beer and waved for Kazimir to join him.
 
He starred at the wind mage. Fear and excitement in his eyes. “Sit down kid.  You look green. We got a long night ahead of us,” his voice had a bit of fear. Maybe it was the slight quiver in his lip. His eyes turned to the snow outside. It was going to be a cold one. A long night too, the way things were looking.
 
“I’m...” the knight was already tired of introductions. A time killer now. “I’m Seiryu, a rune knight answering your request."
 
“I know who ya are. You’re why I’m here,” He put out his last cigarette. “let’s get to work. It was a ball. A blue ball ya see. It made me feel...angry...sad. I think its connected to a case I been hitting the pavement on.” He leaned back. His posture straight as a board. As straight as he spoke about the mystery.
 
“Alright, so what would you like help with, what do you need from me?” he asked genuinely needing to know what the next step was.
 
Dex slammed back the last bits of alcohol in his cup. He slide it to the edge of the table. The sun finally set outside. It was dark. Uninviting. The kind of weather that cold chill a man to the core. But it wouldn’t stop Dex, oh no. He was a man on a mission. One not to be detoured.
 
“Let’s hit it kid. We got a case to solve and chilly night to wrestle with,” Dex said as he stood up. Fixed his clothes and walked out the door. Kazimir shrugged and followed behind him. This man was certainly not of the normal cut, but as long as he got a new experience out of it, he wouldn’t mind.
 
Minutes ticked by. Dex hurriedly strode down the alleys. The river was cold. Ice cold. Frost covered the banks. Dex stopped, evaluating the scene of the incident. His narrowed eyes were intense. His hands quivered in his long brown coat pockets. Maybe it was the cold. Or maybe it was fear.
 
“This is were it happened,” he said. It was hard to see now. The night was pitch black and the street was empty aside from to pretend gumshoes chasing after ghosts. Then it happened. 

WC 526

There is was. Dancing in the moonlight. A ball. Volleyball sized. It floated, bobbing up and down. It spun slowly, shimmering with an alluring light. Beautiful was the only word either of them thought to describe it. Something about, maybe its mystery, but Kazimir had to touch. He moved closer. Dex only a step behind him. The detective was silent for the first time that night.

 
Nothing about this said safety but the wind mage was pulled to it. Drawn in by it. Almost enchanted in a way. He reached his hand out. Dex began to grab at Kazimir’s robe but recoiled. The mages hand dipped into the ball of light. It was like pushing into a hallow ball of water.
 
His vision faded. The river and buildings were gone. So was Dex. All he could see was…a memory…no, a vision. Everything went white. The next instant he was in a familiar place. The border between Fiore and the other countries. An even more familiar face stood there. ‘it couldn’t be,’ he thought to himself, Hands shaking and eyes wide. The water clan leader stood. He was uninjured and dressed in his typical robes. But he was far from the homeland. Making his way to Fiore. Kazimir was sure he had died the day of the attack. Cut down by the clan. He saw him more clearly than a vivid dream. “How?” he yelled. Trying to get the mans attention.
 
His words were lost. There was no time to think. There was a strong force. It shoved against him. The ball emitted it. The blast knocked the vision away. Tumbling and crashing, the two investigators were thrust backward. Kaz knocked against the ground. Only minor wounds. Dex hit hard. A thud that resonated as he crashed into some crates. He was out cold. As cold as the winter’s night.
 
The ball was gone. Vanished as mysteriously as it came. Kaz pulled the Dex’s unconscious body from the splintered crate. “let’s get out of here. I need to get you to a hospital,” he heaved the man over his shoulder. Heavy footsteps hit the ground. One after another Kaz marched the man to the hospital.
 
A voice called out, “You there. What happened?” It was Dacol Lubex. A local big wig in the town. He spotted them and rushed over to help. Kazimir lowered Dex to share the burden with Dacol. “He's out cold. Took a bad fall,” Kaz shook his head as he almost started to talk like Dex. It annoyed him. But he shrugged it off.
 
“I’ll help you take him,” Dacol offered as the two finally arrived at the hospital. It was clean. So, clean you could your face reflected of the floor. Nurses ran forward with a bed. They loaded him up and brought him in. An hour later Dex was awake. He was groggy but still aware. His hand rubbed his aching back. “Thanks, kid. One more clue closer to my culprit. Your pays in the jacket. Take it.”
 
Kazimir took the payment from Dex’s brown jacket and before he offered to stay Dacol said he would and take down all the information. Kaz nodded and walked out, wishing him good health. Now the question was, what happened in that vision. Was it true or just a figment. This quest brought out more mystery than he could have thought.

WC 563
Total 1089