The huge crucible in the centre of the room, once used to hold and pour the molten metal, was now covered in the remains of the last pours and the bottom filled with random debris.
The fire exit refused to budge, although there didn't seem to be any kind of lock. A police tag suggested that this had been noticed by the investigators. Enough force would almost certainly open it, to reveal whatever was beyond.
Past them both the second set of rooms loomed, the door open. For some reason the atmsophere felt heavier here, the air thick. The reason was likely the police tape within and the chalk outline.
"Ooh, spooky aura." Cerise said, visibly perking up. She promptly made her way inside to take a closer look at whatever had actually happened. "So, anybody wanna make a bet on the magical item of fantastic power turning into something discreet enough to not get picked up by the police?"
"It's always a weapon of fine quality, yes? A wrench can very well be a weapon, but about the quality, well, I wonder."
Geidihr in her hand, Aurora began cutting out the fire exit's door with the adamantine's edge. "But a locked fire exit is suspicious, when you think there's been a fire, no?"
"Maybe we should check it from the outside?" Jim replied too late as Aurora attacked it.
"A wrench can be quality. It don't have to look fancy on the outside to be quality on the inside, amiga." Jim added with a wink.
Other than it was strangely chilly, Cerise didn't notice anything odd about the main room - other than the chalk outline - but there were a couple of doors to each side. Going to the one on the left would mean going past the outline.
Aurora was able to murder the spear, the heavy fire door being no challenge for the adamantine cutting edge. After about a minute's work the door simply swung out, however, whatever was holding it in place simply gone.
"It don't have to look fancy on the outside to be quality on the inside, amiga."
Nurai nodded in agreement with Aurora that it was suspicious, though made no move to check outside yet once the door swung open or move on to the next room, "Maybe whoever set the fire used something to keep it shut..." Nurai considered as she cast near the door, looking around as she did so. Her shadow bunched up around her feet as if waiting to spring out if something came out from the light.
Indeed, Nurai finds a pile of nearly sliced - and nearly invisibly thin - threads of gold by the door, thinner than hair. Part of a spell to hold it shut, it would seem.
"Hup!" Cerise hopped over the outline, careful to not disturb it, before proceeding to the next door on the left and pushing it open.
As Cerise opened the door she felt a drop in temperature behind her, sensing the presence of something. Looking behind her she saw the vaguest flicker of a shape, of a stout man in uniform, before he vanished again.
Aurora looked out of the recently cut-out door. "So, premeditation. Set the fire, lock the exits, let CO2 do your dirty job. Cowards."
Her voice gets several degrees colder on the last syllable.
Cerise looked down at her fists and considered the fiendish things she'd killed with them. "I don't think I get to comment on that." she whispered. She did, however, head towards where she'd seen the shape. Maybe there was something there...?
"That seems a little heavy-handed to me. Why go to all that trouble just to kill one guy?" Jim wondered aloud. Investigation wasn't really his thing, but there wasn't a lot left to steal around here.
"You find anything sparkle-sister? Maybe something we can sell?"
"It does seem overly complicated and craven. Maybe there are rules about directly killing him or they really wanted it to appear like an accident..." Nurai shrugged while guessing at reasons as she moved away from the door and towards where Cerise went.
As Cerise advanced a figure suddenly lunged out of nowhere - literally appearing over the chalk outline - to try and grab her.
The ghostly swipe missed - but not by much - and a smattering of forst covered Cerise even so. "Gonna just stomp across where I died, are ya? Just come to steal what's not yours. It's me that protects this town. ME!" The figure's uniform seems to be covered in soot, a respirator mask pipe hanging to one side. The mask is missing. The spirit's eyes are wild, its face contorted by rage.
"HEY." Cerise said, sounding deeply offended. "I am NOT a thief. If you think you have a fair claim to things, then go ahead and talk - I'm listening. But if you're just going to attack people for no good reason, then you're gonna get exorcised." She didn't hate spirits the way she hated fiends, so she wasn't going berserk here - and she figured the diplomacy was at least worth a shot.
Well that was concerning. Jim hadn't seen anything like this since Turkey. He went for his guns, but the girl was trying to talk to it. And if Turkey had taught him anything, it was that guns might not help against something like this away. Better to let the girl have her shot; there'd always be time for shooting later.
<Worthy! Mine!>
As the ghost spoke, Aurora turned around and approached it, her eyes gleaming with uncanny, hungry intensity. "Mister Waymore, we met your sister. We are looking for a way to give you closure, among other things. And, myself, I would like to offer you an opportunity."
Aurora's armor shifted to black wolf furs adorned with raven feathers. "The best way for you to still protect this town is to help us."
Nurai picked up her pace as her shadow defensively rolled up her body. "Do the dead kings remain bound to the town or the sword?" she asked curiously. "In any case, we've been asked to figure out who killed you and thinks it's best to destroy the wardings." She cast again as she looked around and waited to see how what was left of the former King would react.
Nurai didn't remember there being any mention of this - but spirits with unfinished business were often found near where they died or things, places and people important to them in life.
The spirits eyes ran across the party for a moment. "You aren't here to steal the sword? To take my place?" it asked with clear suspicion.
"No, Chief. Someone is destroying Fever's wards, and we don't know where the Sword is so that we can fix the wards. We came here hoping we can convince whomever has the Sword to help us fix things.
"I'm... sorry for what happened to you here."
Maybe guns weren't going to be needed after all. Jim relaxed... slightly.
"Ey, amigo, they're telling you straight. Ever hear of Valda Simmons? We working for her on this one. Those wards are going down, and there's some craaazy stuff getting leaked on the internet."
"We want to find the Sword, not use it. It's a bit of a Philosopher's Stone situation."
Nurai followed the others' example, "The people who did this to you and want to destroy Fever's wardings down want the Sword and more, we're more trying to prevent them getting it. Is there someone you think it should be given to, a preferred successor?" Nurai had no idea if the former King's input would have an effect on the sword but it seemed sensible to ask either way as she continued slowly moving around the room and casting...
Yeah! What they said! ...Was what she would have said if it wouldn't have just made it a clamor of people talking. Instead, Cerise simply waited for a moment. "And while it's a nice sword, I prefer what I can do with my fists." she observed. "Frankly, it's just not right for me - not for any of us, I suspect."
The ghost looked suspicious a moment longer, the shook its head and grunted. "Guess a dead king don't work, huh? It's not right, being dead and being here. Makes you...so angry. So focused. I can't really remember much from my life, now. Don't know who killed me, either - scum lickers led me here and trapped me. Set a fire and when I went in, jumped me. Cut my air. Then they ran and I couldn't get out. Too much look...way too much for the fire."
He pointed to the massive crucible that you had all walked past. "Threw the sword in there, covered it with some scrap from the gantry, them came here to die so it weren't too obvious. Had to hope the right sort would find." He looked at you all, clearly implying he still was.
"I've heard that the Sword chooses the new King. I hope we can help it do that, Chief.
"And I hope you can find your peace."
"Chief, that offer I mentioned. You may have heard of Valkyries, and how they ferry brave souls to Valhalla."
Aurora keeps Geidihr at chest height, the tip pointing downwards.
"Circumstances are unorthodox, but I believe I can offer you the same choice, as your demise was in a fight, although a treacherous one. An afterlife of battle, valor and revelry, with other brave souls as yourself. I understand if you'd rather rest. But often the reward for work well done is more work, so if you seek further duty, you can bind yourself to your spear."
Nurai considered, "It's pooossible you could fix some of what the scum lickers are trying to do, it might be why you're stuck here. If you can leave this area, you can see if you can use the sword or pass it on properly...would be good to see what you can do while you wait... she said quietly with a nod towards the gantry, encouraging the dead King to try.
While the others talked, Cerise moved towards the designated area - careful to move slowly and remain in the spirit's view the entire time so he wouldn't think she was trying to hide. "Any tips on finding the right sort?" she inquired as she began to move the debris aside.
The ghost shook it's head at Nurai. "Can't. You need to watch more movies. Ghosts can't stray from where they're made, unless they're haunting someone." He shrugged. "And I don't know how long lucidity is going to last. I'll wait here if you need me, but once the wards are fixed I want to leave."
He glanced at the spear. "Valkyrie, huh. Like the Vikings? Guess I've slain enough rampaging monsters to count as one as them."
Nodding to Remington, he added, "Sorta. It isn't smart, like you or I. It's more like a computer. One of the ones that's programmed to do one job - protect the town. It hunts down that desire in a person, and if it's strong enough, they get to be king. Or queen. Or whatever." Scratching his thinning hair for a second, he added, "Not sure you get much say in it. Might wanna make sure no one with too much attatchment picks the damned thing up if they don't wanna be king. Comes with some pretty hefty power, but the price is high too."
"I can pick it up." Jim said with a shrug. "No way that thing is going to mistake me for some kind of town guardian. I'm just doing this because I owe Valda. Though she owes me too. I'm not sure who owes who anymore." He added, starting to look confused.
"Yes, like the Vikings. What I am offering you was the greatest honor for a warrior in times of yore, war and revelry preparing for the last battle. It's no quiet and restful afterlife. But if you would, I believe you to be worthy, and your attack on Cerise show there's still fight in you."
"A little, yeah. Not much left to fo at my age but fight, if nothing else but old age. Never been married, so I don't need to worry about who I'll see in the next place, bar my sister. Once we're done we'll give it a try."
The man looked at Jim. "That Valda Simmons? Heard of her. I was lookin' in to whether she could take up the sword, but we run in different circles." The spirit scratched his head. "Hers sound more fun, but I'm shy."
Moving the rest of the debris aside, Cerise grunted a bit as she made to pick up the blade. She paused before trying to lift it, however, and instead poked it with one finger. "I ain't your partner, but I'd like to help you find the right person to wield you. Let me move you, okay?" she said, attempting to heft it up.
The sword - or rather the knife, a long ka-bar with a red leather wrapped handle - didn't respond, as such, but Cerise felt something run over her...mind? Heart? Soul? Whatever it was, the blade didn't find what it needed, and didn't respond again.
"I don't think I'm the right one for the job. Already too many things with minds of their own going around. What's your opinion of the police force?"
Nurai chuckled at the former King's comments about movies but the kayal woman pushed aside her interest in discussing favourites or the misrepresentation of shadows and others in media. Now was not the time for that. She chuckled further at his remarks about Valda's social circle - she'd have to remember to tell that part of her friend.
"I guess it's best to wrap it up, put it in a bag or something. If we know people who can spot it, likely whoever did this can as well if it is out in the open..." Nurai suggests, making no other move towards it. She had enough long-term responsibility that she enjoyed with her shadow - and that she enjoyed less with the Exemplar Synod and all that - and had less trust than usual in such objects.
Looking towards the ghost, Nurai asked him, "Any messages or anything else you'd like us to pass on? Other than repeatedly kicks to those who did this to you..."
The former king nodded. "Tell my sister I'm sorry, and I'll see her later." He glanced at the spear. "Maybe." He considered for a moment. "And kick 'em in the groin."
"That can probably be arranged." Cerise said with a grin as she wrapped up the knife-sword and slid it into one of her longer pockets. (She'd had to get the bloody pants special-ordered. 'Women care more about looks than pockets,' the fashion designers said. Ha. HAHAHAHAHA no.) "I prefer punching, myself, but I can probably vary it up a little..."
Nurai nodded, her smile grew at his last comment. "They have claws for that, usually a nasty surprise for scum..." she said, the shadow stretching out their clawed feet, pleased with the what they clearly took as a compliment. "I will pass the message along, she has helped quite a bit in hopes of seeing justice done for you." she said as she tried to be comforting as she moved to leave, happy that the knife-Sword was neatly hidden and that the former King might have a bit more peace before he fades.
The ghost nodded and faded away, the chill of it's presence lessening back to the level when you'd arrived.
Jim nodded at the surprisingly straightforward resolution to the entire ordeal. "Okay... so now what?" He asked with a shrug.
Aurora morphs her armor into a shimmering, shiny white dress.
"Now we seek for a King worthy of such a name. And then we deliver a sound punching to those other guys who were looking to disrupt the Wards. Ah, Reason, be a dear and look outside in case there are surprises?"
The raven flies out of the recently-cut door frame, flying in a circle and scanning the surroundings.
Reason wasn't able to see anything outside as the party headed back into the light.
"So, uh, anybody know a good prince?" Cerise inquired. "On general principles, I feel like I shouldn't just dive in a lake and throw this at the first half-decent guy that passes."
"And there's no proper lake anywhere close. The Wirth Lake is our best bet, and it's not much more than a pond."
Nurai chuckled a moment and then replied as she continued to walk out of the place, "Maybe his sister will know someone he thought would be suitable - and we could pass on his message and update her at the same time."