The Ivory Killer (DISCONTINUED)

-Chapter Six- Merhedith

Here's chapter 6!

"I can't tell if you're smart or insane," Jarad said as I swung my backpack over my shoulder. It wasn't heavy, only filled with a handful of vials, some bandages, and a canteen of water. I tied my smooth hair back and re-tightened my light armor under my cloak.

I replied with, "Both," before stooping down to tie my boots. The plan for the day was very reckless, but the appeal and curiosity of the situation drove me to follow through.

"I don't like this idea, if my opinion matters. This is an extremely poor choice, but I think you already know that," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair, "And I feel like I can't change your mind."

Chuckling, I began to leave my hut, making sure that Jarad made it through the door after me. "You're right. Besides, anything I find could be important, even the smallest detail," I pinched my fingers close together, to show how small any piece of evidence needed to be. Humans were taking my people, that was a fact. Where they ended up and what actually happened, though, was the real question. Any clue was good enough for me. Once I gathered enough information, there would be room to build a plan and save everyone.

"All details are appreciated, yes, but what about you? If we lose you, we lose everything," He almost whispered the last part, realizing that his voice had begun to raise. My heart twisted a little when I realized this might as well have been his daughter walking away. He had already lost his wife, his best friend, and if I didn't return by the end of the day, his whole world would have been snatched away. He gripped my shoulders, staring straight into my eyes, "You know I trust you, but there's only so much I can give. Please," he paused to clear his throat, "just come back." He drew me into a tight hug, and I patted his shoulder after the moment was over.

"I'll try my best," I assured him. No promises could be made; there was no confirming if I would come back or not.

He huffed out a harsh breath before clapping his large hand against my shoulder blades, "I don't want you to do this-"

"I know," I interjected.

"But I know how important it is. Just stay safe," he continued. I smiled gently. Jarad didn't have any children, though he desperately wanted someone to call his own. I found it funny the way he acted like a worried father, while he also tried to maintain the aura of a professional adult.

I gripped the straps of my bag and walked past Jarad, "Like I said, I'll try. I'll head back before the sun starts to set."

He waved to me as I walked away, and I waved over my shoulder until I turned behind a tree and I could no longer see him.

The colors of the morning bled across the sky, which was speckled with clouds from the night before. The grass damped the edges of my cloak and beaded on my boots due to the sprinkling of rain during the night. Luckily, I had returned back to the city just when the rain began to trickle from the sky. I did feel terrible for the person who had to take the early morning patrol; they probably got soaked.

When I returned back to my hut, I found that there was a frustrating lack of sleep. Exhaustion weighted heavily on my mind, but the rest of my body refused to rest. I rolled around in my blanket while listening to the soft rain. My mind wandered through ideas and plans since it obviously wasn't going to stop working anytime soon. At one point in the night, an idea slid into my head.

"If we don't know where our missing mages went, why don't we look for them?"

I knew the answer. We don't look for them because we could be taken, too. If mages are being targeted, then by sending more mages after them is giving them just what they want. We don't allow ourselves outside of the border, but everything else is left unchecked due to that rule. Obviously, I couldn't lift that rule for searches, because it would endanger the safety of the people. Pairs of people could be sent out, but staying well hidden would be key to surviving the mission. All we needed was someone to quickly, but inconspicuously, search the human village for signs of trapped mages. Anything as small as magical items was enough. I didn't know what it was enough for, but it was enough.