By the sixth bell Niala had changed back into everyday clothes, wearing a tan dress with dark brown highlights. She was back at the north gate entrance, once again exploring the northern riverbank for plants, herbs, insects and other ingredients, making sure to stay within sight of the gate guards.

  Her musings on what she had uncovered were eventually interrupted just before seventh bell by a ragged David that trundled out of the forest. He didn't seem injured, just exhausted.

  They waved to each other, exchanging greetings and after confirming with him that he wasn't injured, started making their way back home.

  She started asking him about what he'd found, but he told her to please wait until they were alone, as he didn't want tempting fate and have someone overhear. Impatient as she was to hear about his discoveries and to tell him of her own, she reluctantly agreed.

  They were soon back home, and after David took a quick shower and put on fresh clothes, they were back in their “war room” upstairs, with a plate of sandwiches for dinner between them.

  Only then, as David sat down, towelling his hair dry, did they began recounting each other's day.

  David went first, telling Niala about the impossibility of the bear actively hunting him, about the strange menhirs and the force field that they seemed to exude. He moved on to the strange temple-like stone structure, the hundred plus skeletons crowding it and the various carvings and moon-dedicated decorations, to which Niala frowned as she recalled Castello's home overall theme, before bringing out the rubbings he had made of the altar texts and pillar carvings.

  Upon seeing them, something clicked in Niala's mind, her eyes wide, as she finally remembered where she had seen all of this iconography and script. The tribal masks had been the trigger to her memory's dam.

  “Tikitoa!” She exclaimed, ears tall, tail swishing.

  David looked at her in surprise. “... Tikitoa to you too?”

  “What? No! That script, the engravings, all the decorations and moons. It's Tikitoan!” She rapidly explained.

  “Tiki... wait, I think I remember the name. Isn't that some sort of island tribe in the Inner Sea?”

  She looked reproachfully at David. “You make them sound like savages. They're an island nation. They have a very rich culture packed with traditions, but they are as cosmopolitan as any other kingdoms.”

  He blinked. “Noted. So what is a Tikitoan sacrificial altar doing this far north and inland?”

  She continued staring at the rubbings, memories coming back to her piecemeal. “Let me think... it was a long time ago that I visited their islands with my father...”

  She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, ears low in concentration.

  “I'm not sure. From what I learned on my trip and the few books I read on their history, their culture profoundly resolves around the moon, night sky, the winds and the sea, in that order of importance.” She recalled.

  “It doesn't exactly explain why the temple is there but its appearance fits with what I know of Tikitoan culture.” She said, before looking at David. “But! I bet Castello has more secrets to share on the topic!”

  David tilted his head. “Castello, that the person who knew most of the recent disappeared?”

  Niala nodded. “He played Panjo with all of them. It's a sort of card game, supposedly came from his ancestors. I think I recall seeing something similar on my visit to the islands.” She explained.

  “Not important, anyway his house was clearly built by Tikitoans, maybe expatriates that acclimated to mainland styles, but it was filled with moons and the same script from your rubbings of your altar.” She added.

  David slowly nodded, realization dawning on him. “And you think there might be some answers in his house?”

  “Considering 35 people who went to his place to play Panjo at night seem to have been compelled the same way the yearly disappeared citizens were? Totally!” She confirmed.

  “It does sound suspicious.” David agreed. “But also dangerous. How certain are you that he didn't hide behind his Panjo story and didn't enthrall the people himself?”

  She stopped, her ears drooping. “I... don't. Blood pits, you make a good point.” She said dejectedly, palming her face. “Aaargh I should have thought of that!” She groaned.

  “It's very endearing to see you haven't lost your faith in people. Unlike me, who usually assume I'm just being fed oxshit.” He said, gently smiling.

  She looked up through her fingers. “That's just a nice way of saying I'm naive.”

  “Two faces of the same coin. Naivety and faith walk hand in hand towards the cliff from which you'll be pushed in betrayal.”

  She gripped the couch with her hands. “Saints! You're supposed to comfort me, not make me feel like a fool!” She exclaimed.

  “A lovely fool who's being taught valuable life lessons.” He said sagely, nodding.

  “A lov-...!” The words jammed in her throat, getting incensed and blushing at the same time. It was a very interesting technique to behold.

  He let the flying couch cushion hit him in the face. He smiled from underneath.

  Just past seventh bell, David and Niala were making their way to Castello's home. As they walked, Niala glanced at the polished wooden ring David had retrieved from his cargo cloth and was now wearing.

  “Tell me what that thing's name is again?” She asked.

  “The remembrance of plucked strings.” He said.

  “Right... and it... helps you remember music?” She asked teasingly.

  He glanced at her and sighed. “It tightens when it feels I'm being deceived.”

  “Right, that's what you said before but... firstly, why not just call it the lie detector ring, and secondly why does it feel anything. It's a wooden ring!”

  “Its it's name, I didn't choose it. Also it doesn't detect lies, it feels deception, and I said feel because it's inhabited by a spirit.”

  Niala's eyes widened. “A spirit?! In that tiny thing?” She grabbed David's hand and brought it up at eye level, ears pointing up.

  “It's a tiny spirit.” He explained.

  She shoot him a suspicious glance, returning her attention on the ring.

  “How does it work? How does it feel a lie? Can you teach it to speak?” She asked, manipulating David's hand and fingers every which way to get a better look at the ring.

  He slowly used his other hand to pry Niala's mitts off, before slowly massaging his abused hand.

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  “Not lies, deception. It's empathetic. It reads my interlocutor's emotions. It doesn't know anything. White lies and false beliefs will fool it, but if the person is feeling anxious, insecure or hostile as they speak to me, the ring will let me know.”

  She blinked as she processed the information. “Doesn't that mean that someone who lies to you confidently won't trigger the ring?”

  “That's right.” He confirmed.

  “So it's only good against scared people.” She posited.

  “That's when I need to act scary and intimidating.” He said, staring at her and grinning.

  “You don't really look that intimidating...” She mumbled.

  He smirked and leaned toward her ears, whispering forcefully “That was a lie.”

  “Argh!” She palmed her ears, glaring at him. “You're a meanie!”

  “That's a lie.”

  “I hate you!”

  “That's a lie.”

  “I hate that ring!”

  “Not a lie.”

  She punched his arm and marched ahead, completely ignoring him.

  He just smiled.

  They soon arrived at Castello's home. Niala and David walked up to the door and using the half-moon knocker. A few moments later Castello cracked the door open, peering from within.

  “Ah? Hello again young lady. And who might you be?” He greeted and asked, pointing his chin at David.

  “David, Free Courier. Working on the same task as my assistant Niala here. May we have some more of your time Mr. Castello?” David answered tersely.

  Castello squinted at him, before huffing and opening the door fully as he turned towards the salon. “Take off your boots.” He offhandedly instructed.

  Niala and David look at each other before shrugging and joining Castello, sitting down on opposite sides of the same low couch that Niala had occupied earlier. David quickly glanced at the various decorations and art pieces on display.

  “What is it this time? Not that I am terribly busy but being questioned is not immediately entertaining.” Castello cautioned.

  Niala looked to David, who slightly nodded. She cleared her throat. “Mr. Castello, mayor Caleb would prefer that what I will tell you remain a private manner. Could you acquiesce?” She asked clearly.

  The older man quirked an eyebrow. “Is that so now? Well, maybe this will be entertaining after all. Everyone loves a good mystery.” He said with the smallest of smiles. “I will keep mum as I can, young lady, but I can't promise anything until I've heard of it.”

  Niala nodded. “We'll keep you to it.” She said as she brought out the scroll with the list of disappeared citizens. “This is a list of names, of people from Riverwall, that have gone missing over the past 197 years.” She handed the scroll to Castello who cautiously took it and started unfurling it, scanning the list of names.

  “The curious thing is that these people all left the town through the north gate at roughly the same time, which is in the middle of the night. Most of them left on the same date, on the 37th of winter.” Niala explained.

  Castello looked up from his reading, forehead furrowed.

  Seeing she had his attention she continued. “And concerning you more specifically, 35 of those names were your Panjo partners. Who all left your game table in the middle of the night.”

  Castello's furrow deepened. “Are you accusing me of something?” He finally said, his tone a clear warning to thread lightly.

  Niala, to her credit, seemed unmoved. “Not directly, Mr. Castello. It is simply fact that you are the closest and clearest clue that might help us understand what happened. It is also true that, from an outsider's point of view, you might be clearly implicated.”

  She took a calming breathe.

  “We would like to ask you if there is anything that you might tell us that would help understand why all of those people have walked out to their death into the Hungerwoods in the middle of the night. Details, old memory, words passed down through your family, something that you feel could be connected to this mystery.” Niala explained.

  Castello eyed her suspiciously, before leaning back in his sofa, hand holding his chin.

  They waited several minutes, Castello eventually throwing his hands up. “I haven't the faintest clue.” He said, leaning back in his sofa.

  Niala glanced at David, who subtly shook his head.

  No deception.

  Niala dipped her head, ears half-up. “Then, just for the record, you deny having anything to do at all with the disappearances?” She asked pointedly.

  Castello scowled. “By the Saints woman! I've been trying to find reliable Panjo players for decades! Why would I get rid of them whenever I find one?” He spat.

  Niala stole another glance at David who gave her another shake.

  She grumbled, ears drooping, before one of them perked back up. She looked at Castello.

  “When we talked about the bowl, you said it came from a trunk with your great great grandmother's effects?” She asked.

  Castello looked up. “Hmm? Yes, I did.”

  Niala's other ear perked up. “Would you mind if we looked through those things?”

  The older man stared at Niala for a few seconds before coming to a conclusion. “Bah, if it pleases you and gets you off my back.” He said as he got up. “Follow me.” He instructed as he made his way upstairs.

  They followed him up the stairs, and into what appeared to be a long-unused bedroom, with white sheets draped over all of the furniture. A single ceiling mana-lamp turned on when Castello palmed the switchstone. He brought them over to one side of the room where a rather large and squat piece of furniture seemed to rest – presumably the trunk.

  Castello pulled the slightly dusty sheet off, revealing an old but intricately decorated leather-and-wood trunk, fastened with burnished bronze clasps. The older man palmed each one, indicating these were mana-locks, before opening the lid and revealing a rather cavernous cavity inside, completely filled with all manner of personal effects, decor pieces, clothes, books and other memorabilia.

  “Most of this was passed down from prior ancestors. This is whatever I had no use for or didn't please my eye.” He remarked, as he made his way to a nearby chair, removed its draped sheet and slowly sat on it.

  As they eyed him, he motioned for them to start digging. “Go on. I'll observe and answer any questions. Do try not to break anything.” He said, yawning.

  David and Niala looked at each other before digging in.

  The bedroom's floor was almost entirely covered in various things. Everything was very old, evidently from another era, but also rather well preserved. Niala's curiousity got the better of her several times, as she started inspecting various pieces of Tikitoan culture.

  From the questions she asked Castello, it became quickly evident he wasn't overly aware of who his ancestors were. Although he could read the script, as evidenced by the various Tikitoan books he had spread around his libraries, he thought them to have been part of an ancestor's personal collection and not what she considered his birthright and heritage.

  Which, when she thought about it, might not have been the case. It very well could be that Castello's ancestor just enjoyed the Tikitoan culture and had collected pieces of it...

  “Hmmm” David hummed as he rummaged at the bottom of the trunk, snapping her out of her thoughts.

  “Did you find something?” She asked, getting closer to him.

  “Maybe...” He said, hefting a large cloth-wrapped object, square and thick in shape, as Niala intently looked on.

  He deposited the bundle on the floor and knelt, untying the ropes keeping the cloths taut. As the cloths fell away, they revealed a midnight-blue leather tome, decorated with silver moon and star inlays. The cover was embossed with a depiction of the wind. Tikitoan script were sewn out of pale grey silk above the embossing. It was held closed by a silvered latch.

  Niala couldn't tear her eyes away from the thing.

  David looked up to Castello, who was faking indifference. He brought the tome to him, showing him the script.

  “Can you read this?” He asked the man.

  Castello squinted a bit. “Hmm, Anaakendi Tokenmata, roughly translates to the Bride of the Dusk Wind's life story.” He looked up at David. “Most likely a diary or a memoir.”

  David quirked an eyebrow and looked back at Niala who was eyeing him and the book with barely contained interest.

  David smiled and tried to undo the latch. It didn't budge. He inspected it. No keyholes. His smile fell.

  “I think this might be mana-locked. Could you try to open it?” He asked Castello, turning the book latch-first to him.

  He shrugged and palmed it.

  Nothing happened.

  “Strange.” Castello said. “All of my family's mana-locks have always been generational. We've never had to re-sign them as long as you were a direct descendent.” He said absentmindedly.

  David observed the latch and pondered as Niala approached to look at it as well.

  She turned to Castello. “Would you happen to have a family tree? Maybe the name Anaakendi would show up on it?” She suggested.

  Castello quirked an eyebrow. “I do yes. Not a fancy one like the blue bloods, but my great grandmother always said it was important to keep track of one's lineage in a smaller town.” He offered as he got up and walked out of the room and back downstairs to his salon, retrieving a unadorned booklet. From it, he unfolded a long page, a functional if bare family tree penned upon.

  All three followed down the tree, until they did find the name Anaakendi, down almost to the roots, only a single generation further back.

  David and Niala looked to each other.

  “If we assume roughly 25 years between generations, and if we count the number of generations on this tree...” David said.

  “...then Anaakendi, being nine generations back, would mark her as probably alive a 197 years ago.” Niala finished.

  They both looked at the locked tome in David's hands, then to Castello.

  “Would you agree to exhuming one of your ancestors from her resting place, so that we may unlock this book?” David asked.

  Castello blinked, looked from David to Niala, before grinning deviously.

  “I'm sure I could be convinced... for a good old match of Panjo.”