Early the next morning, as Tarquin and Lexi were sitting having their breakfast they received a message from Gideon, the mayor, asking them if they could come and meet with him in his office.
Without hesitation Tarquin and Lexi prepared themselves and made their way to the village hall. Entering the village hall, they made their way to the mayor's office and knocked on his door.
"Come in," he called out, "I was expecting you. Thank you for coming."
"It is no problem at all, Tarquin replied, "you had something you wanted to discuss with us?"
"Yes, I do, I wanted to update you on those creatures that had attacked the village." he began. The creatures had been abominations, their bodies twisted and contorted into grotesque forms that defied explanation. "The information that I have received is that these events seem to be random. They are occurring in towns and villages all over the place."
"Really," Lexi said in surprise, "how is that even possible?"
Gideon responded, "They don't really know what is causing it to happen. There are several scholars in the city that have been assigned to search for an explanation. Once I hear from them, I pass their information on to you."
Tarquin and Lexi exchanged concerned glances as the mayor's words sank in. The news of these twisted, evil creatures attacking villages across the land was deeply unsettling. Tarquin's brow furrowed as he contemplated the implications, his mind racing to connect the dots.
"Do the scholars have any theories as to the cause of these attacks?" Lexi asked, her voice tinged with a hint of trepidation.
The mayor shook his head, his weathered features etched with worry. "I'm afraid not, or at least not that they are willing to share." he replied. "They are still searching for answers, but the reports of these monstrosities are growing more frequent. I have heard of at least 4 incidences where it has occurred in the last fortnight. I wanted to warn you both, in case you encounter them on your journey."
Tarquin nodded solemnly, his fingers unconsciously brushing against the ornate case containing the Crystal Orb. "We will be vigilant," he assured the mayor. "And, if we find anything on our travels, we will be sure to pass along any information we uncover as well."
"I want to again thank you both for all you did for the village that night, had you not been here I am afraid things could have been much worse. There are many of our guards that would not have survived if it had not been for your actions." The mayor stated. "Many families would have lost loved ones they care deeply about. The village owes you a great debt of gratitude."
Tarquin felt a swell of pride as the mayor commended him and Lexi for their heroic actions in protecting the village. The grateful families and the lives they had saved were a testament to the importance of their community.
The mayor continued, "Thanks to you, now that we know magic fireworks on them, we have made arrangements with a couple fire users in the community to be available to help out should the need arise in the future."
Tarquin added, "Of course, any time we are in the community you can also call on us and we will contribute as best we can."
"Thank you, I knew we would count on you and the whole community appreciates it." he replied.
As they left the mayor's office, Lexi placed a gentle hand on Tarquin's arm, her eyes reflecting a mixture of concern and determination. "The news of these twisted abominations is deeply troubling," she murmured. "Do you really believe the scholars will be able to figure this out?"
Tarquin considered her words before replying, "They certainly know what they are doing, we need to trust in them to do what has to be done. When we get home, I am going to take a look at a few tomes I have, just in case there is any information that might be useful."
With that, they made their way back to the manor and Tarquin took the time to review the books that he thought may contain useful information.
Tarquin's brow furrowed in frustration as he pored over the ancient tomes and scrolls in his library, his search for any information regarding the twisted abominations that had been plaguing the nearby villages proving fruitless. The soft glow of the candles cast a warm light upon the worn pages, but the answers he sought remained elusive.
Lexi watched him intently, her fingers drumming lightly on the arm of the ornate chair in which she sat. "Any luck?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of concern.
Tarquin sighed, closing the book in front of him with a dull thud. "Nothing," he admitted, his gaze drifting towards the ornate case containing the powerful Crystal Orb. "The scholars in the city may hold the key, but until we hear from them, I'm afraid there isn't anything we are going to be able to do to help them."
Lexi replied, "Then we will stay vigilant and should the creatures return, we will be ready this time."
"Yes, we will be ready," Tarquin confirmed.
Lexi suggested, "Do you think we should journey to the city, perhaps we could gather more information from the scholars and perhaps help unlock the secrets behind these evil creatures that have been terrorizing the land."
Tarquin shook his head. "Unfortunately, if they are not able to figure this out, I don't think we would be much help to them either." Tarquin answered. "We should just go about our business and as long as we stay aware of our surroundings, we should be safe."
"What about the village," Lexi asked, "Will we have to stay here and protect it all the time?"
"No, now that we know fire magic can kill them, there are others who will play that role. He answered, our mayor knows what he is doing and will bring together the right people. "Of course, if we are here, we will certainly step in and do our part."