163 A Dark Plan (1/2)

An espen laid hidden by crags of stone. The espens once crimson skin faded to a murky red, his vitality drained. A brand covered his forehead, a symbol etched on the surface. I opened my status, sending Caprika a message along with our coordinates. She might know what the mark meant, giving us a clue to what was going on.

I inspected the horror further, leaning towards the mess. The espen's hands were missing fingernails. I glanced around him, finding scratch marks from where he tried to escape. His jaw hung open, a string of blood flowing down his chest. He killed himself by biting off his own tongue and bleeding out.

I looked further down. His torso was split open, orange egg sacks writhing in his intestines. Silvers squirmed inside the capsules. Tiny, metal insects chewed on his skin and flesh, converting him to metal. They built geometric metal outwards from their host.

I snatched up one of the silvers. It was a Saysha, one of the most common silvers. I squished it in my hand, espen blood pouring out of it. I glanced around, finding no bloody marks or any tracks in the ground. Something dropped him here. I sighed, looking up at Althea, ”Do you know anything about the silvers?”

Althea shrugged, ”Nope. I don't know if I want to learn about them either.”

I frowned, ”There's really no need to see this mess then unless you want too.”

A set of steps walked up, and a regal voice replied, ”What is it then? Did you find a dead animal or something utterly rank? It smells positively appalling.”

I shook my head, ”No, Caprika. It's an espen.”

Caprika leaped into the pit, her hair snapping onto a nearby rock. It lowered her down with a sense of elegance. As Caprika peered at the horror, she turned around and gagged. I stood back up, turning to her,

”We need to figure out what happened here.”

Caprika hissed, ”Isn't it obvious? He rode into the silver's territory before escaping. He died here.”

I shook my head, ”No. See these claw marks? He tried to scratch himself out of here. There's no tracks or trail of blood either. He even bit his tongue to kill himself. Something held him down here. I want to know what that something is.”

Caprika grabbed the sides of her face, ”Your ability to decipher piles of rotting meat and disgusting sacks is truly admirable.”

I rolled my eyes, walking over to her, ”Come on, princess. Don't make me use this.”

I showed her the hand I used to squish a Saysha with. Caprika leaped back, her hair forming into blades aimed at me,

”Ew, ew, ew!” She patted herself off, getting herself together, ”You're primitive and repulsive.”

”I like to think I'm pragmatic. Come on. The espen has a brand on his forehead. I don't know what it is. You might.”

She patted the sides of her face, taking a deep breath. She turned around, her claws fidgeting in her hands. She stared at the espen's face, her disgust fading. She gasped,

”It's a slave's brand.”

I creased my eyebrows, ”Slavery is on Giess? Really now?”

Caprika shook her head, ”Not anymore. To be accurate, there was slavery a long, long time ago.”

”With who or what?”

She scratched the side of her head, ”Have you heard the story of Lehesion?”

I closed my eyes, searching my memory. Ilifted a hand, ”Lehesion, he was a gialgathen that saved espens, right?”

Caprika tilted her hand back and forth, ”It's not so simple. He merely aimed for social reform. He still believed that Gialgathens were superior, but he also thought that they should treat their inferiors with dignity.”

I pointed at the brand, ”So he got rid of slavery? Sheesh, no wonder people hate gialgathens.”

Caprika nodded, ”To the point, yes, Lehesion did repeal slavery. He preferred indentured servitude. Still a tasteless practice but better I suppose. That's what makes this so odd.”

She squatted down, her knees together, ”This is one of the old marks I've seen in museums. This simply shouldn't be. Lehesion got rid of slavery 75 years ago. A decade ago, indentured servitude was deemed illegal in most city-states as well.”

I crossed my arms, ”The answer's pretty simple. Someone still has slaves.”

Caprika stood up, ”This is...vile. According to what you found, he died a painful death on top of living a painful life. Now his corpse is being used as food for vermin.”

I raised a palm, pulling my obelisk from my armor. I snapped several photos of the crime scene from several angles. Caprika stood back with her hands on her hips,

”What would you have us do then, investigator?”

I shrugged, ”Evaporate the infestation before getting a specialist to inspect the photos. We can't leave this here, or else it will spread.”

Caprika nodded, ”I suppose so. I'll send in a team to clear up the mess.”

I shook my head, ”No need.”

I raised a hand, condensing Event Horizon over the corpse and eggs. It disintegrated as if I used transmogrification magic. The body, eggs, and silvers melted into a black mush. This gunk spread outwards, running over my feet.

Caprika squealed, pulling herself up with her hair,

”By Baldowah, do you even know what a warning is?”

I shrugged, ”Trying to get this done. I'm not getting paid for this after all. Well, if there isn't a quest for this in Yildraza. Otherwise I am getting paid, but not by you.”

The black mush evaporated after a bit more exposure to Event Horizon. I looked up at Caprika, ”Get back to the car. I'll be cleaning the area of silvers.”