The Aspiring Archivist

"I arrived today."

"Why, Decayer?"

"For the rest of it."

"I wouldn't call it deservedness, but it is what I have been hired for by the person who's palace you destroyed."

Then she realized that, in fact, she had no needles. "Why did you destroy the palace?"

"I'm... about."

Dilsha awoke, laying on the floor in a bright, empty room of stone. There was no pain in her head. She did not appear to be bound in any way, though she no longer had any weapons or tools of any sort. There were two simple chairs and a wooden door. Far above, light came in through a grate, the sun warm but not uncomfortable. In one of the chairs, the man who had arrested her sat with his cane. It was not illuminated, and seemed to be made of solid, unadorned metal. "Please sit," he said calmly. "I would like to talk." @Ookla the Believer

"I'm afraid that is as much as I can say."

Polton sighed. Brutes, hm? I will bear the hypocrisy. He tapped his cane, and Dilsha began to hover slightly. Time to take you away.

He hit her again. "Stop running, then." @Ookla the foolish

The man pursuing her kept at it as well. She felt a sharp pain across the back of her head as his cane made contact.

"Stop!" His words carried magical weight, and Dilsha felt herself freeze up, muscles going rigid.

He gritted his teeth as it began, but the cut healed in an instant and it stopped. He ran after her, and was upon her in a second. "You aren't making this any better for yourself!"

"I'm... not very applicable to the question."

"...That is not how Traces work, I'm afraid."

He tapped his cane once more, and it return to fiery white. A thread of light sprung from it, directly to Dilsha. "Traces. A connection that remains between her and the Decay spirit in the palace."

"I'm not just going around setting people on fire. I am here for a specific purpose. If you would please lower your sword so I may do that?"

"Hardly. Before I was attacked, I was going to provide this." He took a small piece of paper, adorned with a familiar seal. "A contract with the king. I am to find the Decayer of the palace, and bring them to face justice."

The man calmly opened the door moments later. The fire was gone, and he was undamaged. He tapped his cane on the ground again, and it shifted to a violet color. "Sleep." Alex saw his vision go black, and he entered a strange dream. Alex had collapsed, unconscious. The burns on his arms began to mend as the man spoke to Dilsha again. "Come with me." @Ookla the Believer

He looked at her, mask hiding the extent of his expression. How odd that she had seemed to have been able to guess it from across the room only minutes ago. "Or you could seek it out."

The flame grew hotter, then began to spread along the man's hands, to Alex's, and up his arms. The room filled with the scent of burning flesh.

The staff promptly burst into flame, burning Alex's hands.

"Please come with me. I'm certain if you are truly innocent, you will be able to return to this inn as normal in no time at all."